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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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This act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any activity or program that is getting federal funds.

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This case ruled that schools that receive federal funds must provide any non-English speaking students with instruction in English to make sure they are getting an equal education. It helped to ease the transition into education for students whose first language was not English.

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This website talks about what the early exit program is and how it is implemented in schools. The early exit program is important because it helps to speed up second language acquisition so ELs can be integrated into classrooms with native English speakers.

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Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE)

A Transitional Bilingual Education program is defined in the M.G.L. 71A as, "a program designed to allow English learners to achieve long-term academic success through English-medium instruction in general education classrooms; provided, however, that the native language of the English learner is used to support the student's development of English and content learning and is then gradually phased out of instruction as a student's English proficiency increases." While, unlike SEI programs, native language is used in content to support ELs, TBE programs are subtractive, because unlike Dual Language programs, native language instruction is gradually phased out of content as a student's English language proficiency increases and a student is eventually promoted out of the TBE program.

TBE programs enroll ELs who speak a common home language. It is important to recognize that ELs may vary in a few other important areas, including country of origin, home language literacy experiences, prior schooling experiences, individual learning needs, and level of English proficiency. TBE programs can start or end at any grade level, according to individual student performance patterns and needs, and based on district policy. As such, TBE programs have the flexibility to support more transient student populations. Generally, programs that target early exit from TBE (early-exit programs) transition students to Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) programs. Students from early-exit models are still English learners (ELs) and should receive EL services.

Essential Features of Effective TBE Programs

TBE programs are designed to respond flexibly to students at different English proficiency levels, who are fluent in their home language. Typically, in TBE programs, initial content and literacy instruction is in the student's home language, paired with systematic and sequential ESL instruction. Teachers leverage students' linguistic and cultural resources to support language and literacy development and grade-level-appropriate content learning.

In TBE programs, initial instruction occurs primarily in the home language, with a small amount of English instruction that increases from year to year until students are able to successfully achieve in classrooms where the sole language of instruction is English.

The amount of time used for content instruction in the home language and English varies according to the students' English language proficiency and grade levels. The ratio of home language instruction progressively decreases as the ratio of English instruction increases, until instruction in the home language is phased out altogether.
Key features include:

1. Clear articulation of the role and use of students' home language and English to support language and literacy development and mastery of grade-level content;

2. Integration of students in the TBE program to the largest extent possible without compromising the integrity of their education; and

3. High academic expectations for all students.

TBE Program Models (Early Exit vs. Late Exit Models):

Within the TBE classroom, there are two main models of instruction dependent on the students' language proficiency:

The main goal of the early-exit model is to expedite the acquisition of the second language so that ELs can be integrated into classrooms with native speakers of English. This model uses ELs' first language as a foundation for building English language competency. Students receive instruction in both languages to progress academically and prepare to transfer rapidly to a mainstream classroom with English native speakers of English in an SEI setting. The program can last from one to four years, usually from kindergarten to third or fourth grade. As students' competence in English increases, it gradually takes the place of the first language, so English is often taught at the expense of the first language. As a result, ordinarily students do not exit the program truly bilingual.

Implementation of Early-Exit Bilingual Programs

ELs who share the same first language are grouped in the same classroom. They have bilingual teachers who teach content subjects such as math and science in either the students' first language or in English. Districts may vary in the amount of first-language instruction that is utilized; however, the degree to which the ELs' first language is spoken in the classroom depends on the proficiency level of the ELs who generally require more instruction in their native language at earlier grade levels. In kindergarten, the average length of instruction in the first language may be approximately one hour to 90&percnt; of the school day. The amount of time spent teaching in the first language is then reduced in grades 1 and 2. Although ELs may be instructed in the language arts of both first and second languages simultaneously, instruction in reading in the second language doesn't typically begin until students meet the standards for reading in their first language. As ELs make progress in their second language, it becomes increasingly incorporated into the core content curriculum, gradually taking the place of the first language. A key component of the program is to teach the students' culture, and this is done through classroom activities and materials.

The main goal of the late-exit model is to facilitate understanding of all core content subjects while maintaining use of the students' native language, allowing a greater transitional period during which students acquire the second language at a slower pace. Unlike the early-exit model, more time and attention is given to mastering literacy in the students' home language to support new learning in the second language. Students typically spend a greater deal of time-especially in elementary school-learning in their native language. In late-exit transitional programs, the transition may take up to six years. The more closely ELs' prior experiences and background knowledge align with the academic and other expectations of U.S. schools, the more likely it is that the ELs can move through the program quickly. Students who may have limited or interrupted formal education ("SLIFE") need more time. A gradual transition of at least four to six years is may be optimal to provide these students with the necessary support for academic success.

Implementation of Late-Exit TBE Bilingual Programs

Like in early-exit programs, ELs who share the same first language are grouped in the same classroom and they have bilingual teachers who teach content subjects such as math and science in either the students' first language or in English. Both languages are used in the classroom; however, unlike early-exit programs, instruction in content areas is conducted in the first language for a longer period of time. A key difference between early- and late-exit programs is that late-exit programs generally span five to seven years, whereby it is more likely that students become truly bilingual when they exit the program. As ELs make progress in their second language it gradually takes the place of the first language. Like early-exit programs, a key component of the late-exit program is to help ELs to be proficient in their native language and bridge the academic gap between themselves and English only students.

No matter the model, TBE programs can start or end at any grade level. They have the flexibility to support more transient student populations, as the program design allows students to enter at any time and exit at any time according to individual performance patterns.

Guidance for Transitional Bilingual Education Programs

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massachusetts department of elementary and secondary education

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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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The goal of the Massachusetts public K-12 education system is to prepare all students for success after high school. Massachusetts public school students are leading the nation in reading and math and are at the top internationally in reading, science, and math according to the national NAEP and international PISA assessments.

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This shows different ways to incorporate sheltered instruction in a classroom.

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This website offers techniques for using direct method in the classroom. Direct method uses intensive oral practice in everyday context.

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The Completely Straightforward Guide to the Direct Method of Language Teaching

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The direct method of language teaching is a cool concept that allows you to teach a foreign language with no use of English. Teach students how to be natives!

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This website talks about how to apply Suggestopedia in the classroom with music and telling stories. Suggestopedia is a great method to help EL students because it can speed up the acquisition process, helps with confidence, and allows students to take personal responsibility for their learning.

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This article briefly discusses Suggestopedia, a teaching method developed by a Bulgarian psychologist Georgi Lozanov. Particularly, this article explains the method's goal & characteristics, and provides sample activities for teaching. This method is commonly used in English language teaching, but I believe that this can also be used in other foreign languages like Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, and others.

The Goal of Suggestopedia as a Method of Teaching

To learn a foreign language at an accelerated pace for everyday communication by tapping mental powers and overcoming psychological barriers.

9 Characteristics of Suggestopedia as a Method of Teaching

According to Villamin et al. (1994), the nine characteristics of Suggestopedia are the following:

1. It uses the power of suggestion to help students eliminate the feeling that they cannot succeed.
2. There should be a relaxed, comfortable environment with dim lights and soft music to facilitate learning.
3. Students' imagination is used. They can assume new names, and new identities and respond to the teacher accordingly using the target language.
4. Present and explain grammar and vocabulary words, but not discuss at length or thoroughly.
5. Native language translation is used in order to get the clear meanings of words in the target language.
6. Communication takes place in the conscious and subconscious of the learners. The former is about the linguistic message. It is where the students pay attention to a dialogue that is being read, while the latter is where the music is played as a background. Music suggests that learning is easy.
7. Teaching is done by integrating music, song, and drama.
8. The emphasis of teaching is more on content. Errors made by students are tolerated at the beginning of the lesson but in the later part, the correct forms are used by the teachers.
9. No formal tests are given, but the evaluation is done during the normal in-class performance.

Sample of Classroom Activities using Suggestopedia

If you are a teacher or mentor, you may use the following activities using the Suggestopedia method.

1. Choose a background music that will give an impression or feeling that you are in a forest. For example, the music may be punctuated by the chirping of the birds or the sounds of the leaves as they dance in the wind, or any sound indicating that the location is in the forest.

In the classroom, turn off the lights and play the background music. Then, group the students into three, and ask them to close their eyes, and let them imagine, for one minute, that they are animals, birds, trees, or flowers.

After that, ask them to create their own dialogues on how people should take care of the environment. But in their dialogues they have to remember their roles. If one assumes to be a bird, his/her point of view and dialogues should be like a bird, and not as a human being.

2. Choose a story. Practice reading the story with emotions or feeling. Then, choose appropriate background music for the story. It would be best if you prepare it in advance.

In the classroom, ask the students to relax and make themselves comfortable. Allow them to sit on the floor or lie down, and to be with their classmates or listen by themselves while seated at their desk. Then, turn off the lights, play the music and start reading the story. You may ask questions in between to check that they are listening intently to you and to keep their motivation high. In answering your questions, don't correct the students' grammatical errors immediately. Focus first on the content. Before you end the lesson, at the later part, you may give the correct form by repetition.

Don't you think these are good ideas to start the ball rolling in class? If you believe so, then try Suggestopedia as a method of teaching!
References
Rhalmi, M. (2009). The origin of Suggestopedia. Retrieved 16 January 2015 from http://www.myenglishpages.com/blog/suggestopedia/#.VLjUy5X9ljo

Villamin, A.M., Salazar, E.L., Bala, E.C., & Sunga, N.R. (1994). Innovative strategies in communication arts. Quezon City, QC: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

2015 January 21 M. G. Alvior

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How to Apply Suggestopedia as a Method of Teaching

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This article briefly discusses Suggestopedia, a teaching method developed by a Bulgarian psychologist Georgi Lozanov. Particularly, this article explains the method's goal & characteristics, and provides sample activities for teaching. This method is commonly used in English language teaching, but I believe that this can also be used in other foreign languages like Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, and others.

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B.F. Skinner was the founder of the behaviorist perspective. He founded operant conditioning, which says a behavior will occur again because the child has been rewarded by the parent or caregiver.

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Sociocultural theory states that language develops through culture and environment. This theory leads to self-direction and learning strategies.

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This website gives great strategies for how to do before, during, and after in the classroom.

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"Before" Reading Strategies:
Tapping into a student's schema is one of the most important things to do before starting a lesson or unit. Teachers must quickly assess where her students stand, knowledge-wise, and what background or pertinent information they are missing or have misconceptions about. In order for students to start building new knowledge, they must first have a sturdy and complete foundation. This "foundation" is their background and previous experiences and knowledge. For this reason, "before" reading strategies are necessary before any real learning can take place.

A "before" reading strategy is strategy that is used before students jump into a text with ties to a lesson or content-area unit. The purpose is to mentally prepare the students for the lesson or assignment ahead, giving them the tools to begin to start to think critically about the topic. It also introduces the lesson little by little, generating excitement from students as to what the next unit or lesson may be.

K-W-L Chart
These charts are a quick and effect way to assess student understanding about a topic before the unit has begun. The students begin by sharing information they already know about the topic. This can give educators great insight as to how much knowledge they already have about a topic, either from experiences or past knowledge, and if this information is indeed correct.

The K-W-L chart also provides students with a chance to set their own purposes for reading. In this chart, they list what they hope and want to learn by the end of the lesson or unit. This gives students a goal that they personally set, giving them the desire to find the answers to their questions.

For a full explanation on K-W-L charts, as well as photo examples, click the K-W-L Chart link above.

Word Sort
Word sorts can also be used to introduce a lesson or unit. Teachers can quickly assess whether the students have previous experiences with these words. By having the students sort words into categories, they begin to see the "bigger" picture. Not only do they begin to make connections between words they know in comparison to the category, they make connections between words they know and words they did not know. Having the students work in groups on word sorts is a great way to have students share their knowledge, making it a collective effort to complete the sort as well as a collect effort to learn.

For a full explanation on Word Sorts, as well as photo examples, click the Word Sort link.

Explore these other examples of "Before" reading strategies:

"During" Reading Strategies:
As educators, we expect a lot out of our students. "During" reading strategies help students meet those expectations by aiding students in comprehension. To read is to actively search for, decode, and comprehend content; it is the active search for knowledge. However, students need help in determining what is important in the text and what "big" ideas they should pay attention to. "During" reading strategies also aid students in monitoring their comprehension and understanding; it lets students know if they are indeed learning. For this reason, reading strategies that take place while students are reading are very important to the ultimate goal of gathering and transforming text into knowledge.

Venn Diagram
Venn diagrams serve as a graphic organizer that highlight the differences and similarities of two or more topics. Students can complete this graphic organizer while reading, making it easier to compare and contrast information after reading for review. While students are reading, they may jot down words or short phrases that are key to the main idea. For example, students may write down: "many neck bones, can see at night, sharp talons, flies" when they are reading a section of the text about owls. Next, they may be reading about eagles. After doing the same exercise but this time, they find what eagles have in common with owls by reviewing the information they wrote down.

When students take notes as they read, they begin to compile key information on their own, making sure they are understanding the information and its big ideas.

For more information on Venn diagrams, click the "Venn Diagram" link above.

Explore these other examples of "During" reading strategies:

"After" Reading Strategies:
Reading strategies that take place after reading are used to summarize, wrap up, and finalize the information that has, or should have been, learned and understood while reading. It further strengthens the main ideas as well as offers students a chance to think deeply and critically about the information they have read.

For this purpose, "After" reading strategies are just as important as the strategies that should take place before and during reading. "After" reading strategies also demonstrate to the student what they are capable of doing and learning if they are sincere about their efforts to do so.

Story Boards
Story boards are a good strategy to use to strengthen sequencing, order, plots, and chronology. These types of activities not only give the students a reason to listen to the story being read, it gives them a purpose and role to fulfill. As the story is being read, the student can examine their page and think about the events and text as a time-line. They must decide where their page fits into the time-line via the pictures, diagrams, text, and ideas being presented in their page.

This strategy helps students see the overall mental picture of the text and chunks important information in references to chronology. Students must be able to understand that the text has meaning, ideas, and information and that these elements are intentional and should make sense.

For more information on how to use story boards, click the Story Boards link above.

Explore these other examples of "After" reading strategies:

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Reading Strategies: Before, During, & After

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"Before" Reading Strategies: Tapping into a student's schema is one of the most important things to do before starting a lesson or unit. Teachers must quickly assess where her students stand, knowledge-wise, and what background or pertinent information they are missing or have misconceptions about.

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The language experience approach is a great way to help students with their reading development. This approach will help students tell a story from their own personal experiences.

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This website gives a lot of good culturally diverse children's books. It is important to have books in the classroom that represents everyone because it helps students to create long-last connections.

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This website offers a lot of different activities to do in the classroom to promote all the different cultures that are represented in your classroom. It is important to make sure everyone feels represented and to teach students to celebrate and embrace other cultures.

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America is often referred to as a "melting pot" and this is reflected in the multicultural nature of many of our schools. It's therefore very important to create multicultural classroom activities that embrace the range of cultures represented; not only to help all students feel included but also to help the uninitiated explore your school's rich diversity.

With that in mind, here are five easy activities that bring multiculturalism in your schools to life while also linking students, parents, and educators.

1. Encourage students to "show and tell" the class about their heritage

Start by choosing a topic relevant to the students' country or culture. As a homework assignment, the student and the parents will write about this topic, whether it's an aspect of their culture (such as festivals, holidays, etc.) or family photos relating to their own or their ancestors' story of coming to America. Projects will be shared with the class as a speech or "show and tell."

2. Extend the invitation to their wider family members

Invite parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles (always great to include other family members!) to personally share a 15-minute presentation on their culture. The family may dress in cultural dress, bring pictures, or even share online images about their culture. Allow some time for students' questions and let the kids satisfy their curiosity!

3. Organize a "showcase" night and connect through food

Give each student a paper "doll" to take home. Students can decorate the dolls to represent their cultural heritage. Have the students bring in a recipe from their culture to go with this. Then, on a certain "showcase" night, the dolls are presented together complete with the recipe card. Students & parents are encouraged to bring a dish of the recipe to share for a potluck dinner. This can be done with just one or two grades at a time if the school is too large to arrange such a presentation in one night.
With the world enduring a pandemic, the landscape of education is changing. Read our post Flipped Upside Down: COVID-19 and e-Learning.
4. Make it real with field trips

Field trips are also a wonderful way to really see the fruits of multiculturalism. Visits to local workplaces, restaurants, museums, and government facilities allow students to witness diversity not only in the classroom but in the communities in which they live. You can even go on a virtual field trip. (For those schools in large urban areas, this may be just a short walk away).

5. Encourage playful participation

Different cultures play different games - and which child doesn't love games? Invite family members to describe and demonstrate cultural games with the students. Students can play and learn!

Teaching across cultures

American classrooms are multicultural and should be celebrated for their diversity. That's why it's so important to teach our students about a plethora of cultures, foods, games, and knowledge about others that they may otherwise not experience. These five ideas can expand the horizons not only for the students but for the whole school faculty.

Let's stir the melting pot!
Deciding whether to record your online lessons or do them live? Read our article Should Online Teachers Use Live Or Recorded Lessons? [gs-fb-comments]

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5 Great Multicultural Classroom Activities To Involve Parents - ClassTag

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America is often referred to as a "melting pot" and this is reflected in the multicultural nature of many of our schools. It's therefore very important to create multicultural classroom activities that embrace the range of cultures represented; not only to help all students feel included but also to help the uninitiated explore your school's rich diversity.

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This video talks about bricks and mortar words and how they are important for students. These words are needed for comprehension on tests like STARR.

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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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This website gives strategies for how to teach academic language to ELLs. It is important for EBs/ELs to understand academic language because it will be used on STARR and other class assignments. If they don't understand the words then they will have a hard time with learning and get discouraged.

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English Language Learners (ELLs, ELs ELDs) face a variety of challenges in the mainstream classroom. Along with social and cultural differences, ELLs may also struggle with the language used in the classroom. This academic language can be difficult for ELLs to grasp and can pose a stumbling block when it comes to classroom success.

"Mastery of academic language is arguably the single most important determinant of academic success for individual students," says David Francis in Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners: Research-Based Recommendations For Instruction and Academic Interventions. "Unfortunately, ELLs often lack the academic language necessary for success in school. This lack of proficiency in academic language affects ELLs' ability to comprehend and analyze texts in middle and high school, limits their ability to write and express themselves effectively, and can hinder their acquisition of academic content in all academic areas."

So what can mainstream teachers do to help ELLs master academic language? First, it's important to understand the key components of academic language. Linguist Jim Cummins distinguished between two different types of language: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP).

Recognizing the differences between these elements of second language acquisition will help you develop effective strategies for teaching academic language to ELLs.

Understanding BICS

Cummins classifies Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) as the language system that a person uses in everyday, informal types of communication. The language used for BICS is typically cognitively undemanding and developed largely through social interactions.

This type of language is typically developed well before students become proficient in academic language; English learners can become proficient in BICS as quickly as a year. BICS is predominantly oral and uses Tier 1 vocabulary.

For this reason, it is important not to judge students' language proficiency on their speaking abilities alone. Students with a high level of BICS might be able to hold a conversation about a familiar topic or converse well in high-context situations. However, they may not have the linguistic sophistication to engage in academic discussions without the intentional development of academic language.

Understanding CALP

Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) measures mastery of the rigorous, intellectual vocabulary of content areas, which Cummins states is a key distinction from BICS. Academic language refers to the language needed by students to conquer classroom tasks, from understanding basic content vocabulary and directions to navigating advanced textbooks.

"To me, academic language is when teachers use keywords and important content area concepts when working with ELs," says Dara Schmick, an ESL teacher at Rutherford Elementary School and the Elementary ESL Department Chair for the Central Dauphin School District in Harrisburg, PA. "It is important for teachers to speak to students in a way that promotes language in every aspect of their school day."

Mastering academic language is critical to the academic success of ELLs. Cummins theorized that the development of CALP can take from four to seven years, independent of other factors such as language proficiency level, age and time of arrival in a school setting, degree of academic language proficiency in the student's first language, and the level of in-school language support.

How Can You Help Students Achieve Academic Language Mastery?

Successful understanding of academic language requires a partnership between mainstream teachers and ESL teachers, Schmick says, noting, "Teachers need to all be on the same page so that the academic language is comprehensive."

Working together, mainstream and ESL teachers can help ensure English Language Learners have success when it comes to conquering academic language.

"Some mainstream teachers have the skills and strategies to work with ELs and can use these with all of their students," Schmick says. "However, there are times when teachers are unsure of how to work with these students."

If you're teaching ELLs in your classroom, consider these tips for teaching academic language:

Introduce and reinforce academic language regularly.

It's important to preview text and identify words that might be new to students, says ELLs specialist Kristina Robertson on Colorin Colorado!, a bilingual site for educators and families of English Language Learners. She suggests writing words and phrases on the board and having students write them on index cards. She also recommends using visuals, acting, or synonyms to help students understand the meaning of a word. "Reinforce the newly learned language by asking the students to draw it, act it out, or use it in an appropriate sentence," she says.

Provide opportunities for review.

Consider creating a "word wall" of academic language terms so that students can refer to what they've learned throughout the year. Students can also use journals or word logs to reference academic vocabulary that they've learned throughout the year

Use academic language throughout all content areas.

"As the classroom teacher, it's important to integrate academic language into your daily classroom practice," says teacher Marine Freibrun on Minds-in-bloom.com. "Use the words in your objectives for other lessons, use the words in classroom discussions, and ask students to use them in their writing across disciplines. I also use academic language tickets to have students practice their words after lessons have been taught. I use them for tickets out, as morning work, or as independent practice. Just because you teach the lesson, doesn't mean you or your students are done with the word. It's important to continue the practice throughout the year."

Use resources for support.

Mainstream teachers should feel comfortable relying on other teachers or resources to help ELLs in their classrooms.

"It is imperative that mainstream teachers continue to use professional development opportunities in order to enhance the necessary skills needed to work with ELs," Schmick says. "If this is not possible for them, they can also use their ESL teacher as a resource for their own classroom. ESL teachers are there to not only help ELs succeed but to help classroom teachers with the challenges of educating ELs."

Resources such as Continental's TEAM Toolkits: Teaching ELs for Academic Language Mastery can be useful go-to supports when it comes to academic language and ELLs. The kits feature structured activities in listening, reading, writing, and speaking to help English learners develop grade-level academic language skills.

Academic language is an essential component of education and is critical for success in school-and it poses unique challenges for English language learners. By intentionally developing academic language for your ELLs, you will support their academic success.

Looking for more ESL/ELD/ELL resources for your classroom? Check out Continental's wide variety of instructional materials for K-12 students.
This blog was originally published on September 13, 2017. It was updated on October 19, 2022.

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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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This website talks about and gives examples on creating language objectives that will help out English language learners.

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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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Verbs to Use in When Writing Language Objectives

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Verbs to Use in When Writing Language Objectives

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I choose to put this in the toolkit because I feel that picking the right verb will help me to understand how I am supposed to teach. This gives verbs to use in all 4 language domain.

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Math Strategies for English Language Learners

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Math Strategies for English Language Learners

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This website gives really good methods for teaching math the ELLs with pictures! I like putting strategies in my toolkit because I can use them in my future classroom.

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I teach 5th and 6th grade math to beginning English language learners. This post shares 3 critical strategies that support ELLs in the understanding of math concepts AND in the language of math. These are three "must haves" for any math classroom with ESL students, especially those with newcomers!

"Math is a universal language." Have you heard this saying? I must admit, it's drives me a little crazy! Have you seen "standardized" testing? There is a LOT of language involved in math, and for students who are new to the country, this poses a lot of obstacles. Not only do we teach grade level math concepts to our students, but we also need to teach the language of math.

So how can we best support our beginning ELLs in math? There is a reason I put vocabulary instruction at the top of the list. It simply cannot be ignored if we want our students to be successful.

1 - Vocabulary Instruction
There are three types of vocabulary: tier 1 is basic vocabulary, tier 2 is grade level vocabulary (terms most native English speakers are familiar with), and tier 3 is low frequency content specific vocabulary. ALL students need explicit instruction in the third tier!Being aware of all 3 types is important, and knowing your students is key in deciding which words might need front-loading before a lesson.

Ex. of Tier 1 Basic Vocabulary - tall, short, fast, long, more, less, far, close, heavy, light, around, cover, most, many, about, big, small, fill, full, empty, all, etc.

Ex. of Tier 2 "Grade Level" Vocabulary (math language) - increase, decrease, greatest, least, altogether, replace, combine, random, weight, length, opposite, distance, etc.

Ex. of Tier 3 Content Vocabulary - ratio, probability, quadrilaterals, polygons, equations, diameter, circumference, coefficient, variable, volume, capacity, scalene, kilometer, etc.

In classrooms with beginning ELLs, vocabulary is one of the main focuses of instruction. Terms from all 3 levels need to be explicitly taught. Analyzing the math lesson during the planning phase and looking for terms that need front-loading is vital to providing comprehensible instruction. On days that I'm introducing a new concept, I KNOW that my primary focus is on vocabulary.
---- Vocabulary Building Activities ----
I use the KIM Strategy for direct vocabulary instruction. To read a post about this highly effective vocabulary strategy, click HERE.

Key vocabulary is introduced, a simple kid friendly definition is produced and visual "memory clue" is illustrated.

Make vocabulary fun:)

Write terms on one set of cards and visuals or examples on another set, then pass out cards to students. As an "exit ticket" they must find their matching partner.

The vocabulary terms on this day were "ascending" and "descending." My sixth graders used the KIM strategy in their notebooks at the beginning of class. We practiced putting numbers (fractions, decimals, percents) in ascending and descending order. At the end of class, I passed out index cards with percentages, and their "exit" task was to get into descending order. Then I mixed the cards up and asked them to get into ascending order.

I always add an interactive notebook activity, or a foldable activity, to follow up. This resource provides students with a reference during their independent work time. These also are used as study tools before unit assessments.

To find these math resources, click HERE.

The direct vocabulary instruction always come first, then I find ways to get my students up and out of their seats for fun vocabulary building activities. This physical activity helps to solidify their understanding. An interactive notebook, or foldable, activity usually follows. Then we practice using the vocabulary throughout the unit with sentence frames to support their language acquisition.

2 - Visuals and Anchor Charts
Beginning ELLs do the majority of their learning by watching. Meaningful visuals are key to their understanding. My lessons are loaded with visuals and I am constantly drawing pictures to show what something means. I really wish I could draw!!

It's always a challenge, but my students get a kick out of my efforts. LOL! If only it could be this simple...

It would be so much easier for me, and for them! :)

Color coding is also an effective visual strategy. My students copied this capacity "diagram" in their math notebooks using 5 different colors.

Add visuals to math notebooks for each lesson so that students have a reference.

On the left hand page is a visual chart for the "Types of Lines" vocabulary. To be successful with independent activities, such as centers and homework, they have everything they need in their notebooks.
Use images that relate math to the real world around them.

I often use the"Essential Questions for 6th Grade Math" pages by The Illustrated Classroom. They've been a real life saver to me! The visuals are great and the text is simplified. I print them at 75%, cut the excess edges off, then have my students glue them into their notebooks. It works great!

Create a visual math word wall. I use this word wall, also by The Illustrated Classroom. Another math reference tool with visuals, and a great place to introduce AND review content vocabulary.

Math Videos - I absolutely love using short math videos in class, especially the ones on You Tube by NumbeRock!!

The visuals are spot on, and each video is short, only about 2-3 minutes. My students love them and can see the math concepts in action. These videos are often a part of my introductory lessons.

I also use Brain Pop Jr. videos.

Even though the "Jr." version is for grades K-3, the focus is on vocabulary, and the language is simplified, so compared to the upper elementary BP version, I find that it's a better fit for my beginning 5th and 6th graders.

Creating anchor charts is also invaluable. Pinterest is such a great place to find inspiration for math anchor charts! It's my go-to destination for ideas! As long as we are learning about a concept, the anchor chart stays up for viewing. When we go back to review at the end of the year for state assessments, or spiral back to a concept later, the anchor chart gets pulled out again. Some charts stay up all year!

The most important thing to remember about teaching beginning English language learners, IMO, is that you need to show the concept visually FIRST, along with explicit vocabulary instruction. Even with definitions, adding a visual can be "worth a thousand words." ;)

When I am planning a math lesson, I think to myself, "How can I show this concept to my students?" And... "Where can I add meaningful visuals?" If I'm teaching fractions, I want to show them parts of a whole. Maybe that means breaking a Hershey's candy bar into pieces, or cutting a pan of brownies into equal parts. (I see a chocolate theme happening here!) If I am teaching probability, I want to show the concepts of certain, impossible, likely and unlikely.

It's all about Visuals - Visuals - Visuals!!
3 - Hands On Activities
Manipulative and hands-on activities are a great way for students to see "how" math works. Cubes, tiles, measuring tools, foldable activities, food, tangrams, fraction pieces, dice and games are just some ways we can get our students working on and practicing math skills. When students are using their hands, they are focused on "doing" something, compared to when they are note taking or using receptive skills to understand a lesson or new vocabulary. Here they get to practice and try out their math thinking. It's also a great way for ME to see what they understand, as well as what might need clarifying. When math is FUN, and students have had both vocabulary building and meaningful visuals beforehand, the hands-on activities are where they can dive in and practice what they've learned.

Vocabulary, visuals and hands-on activities are the 3 must-have strategies for any math classroom with English language learners, especially beginners. Here's an example of all 3 in action.

Direct Vocabulary Instruction - term: "Data - a collection of information (facts, numbers, measurements)" Students copy this in their notebooks.

Visuals - Bar Graph Anchor Chart: Question Posed- "Which color do you like best?"

Collecting Data - Students come up and color in their favorite color choice. Then we analyze the the data. I ask questions like, Which color did most students like best? Which color did the least, or smallest, number of students like best? Which color did no students like the best? How many students chose the color red? How many students chose the color green? etc... This is a great time to build that tier 1 and 2 vocabulary.

Next, I want to model how to take this data and show it in a different way using a circle graph. See pics below.

>>> Data and Statistics - Day 2 <<<

We review the data from the circle graph and then convert fractions to percents in a whole group setting.

Hands-On Activity - My students gather data and use it to create their own circle graph. They will also convert fractions to percents.

They each get a baggie of skittles and predict how many are inside. Then they take out the skittles and gather their data. They count and note the amount for each color. Next they write the fraction for each color and convert that number into a decimal. Last, they create the circle graph the same way I modeled with the colored strips the day before. (The M&M Lab Activity by Lisa Tilmon can be found here.) My students all had a firm understanding of data collection after these 2 days. My teacher heart was smiling:)

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Vocabulary -- Visuals -- Hands-On Activities -- Oh Yea!!

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I hope that you found some helpful tips in this post. I'd love to hear about a strategy that you find to be a "must-have" when working with beginning English language learners!

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Math Strategies for Beginning English Language Learners

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An educational blog for sharing ideas, strategies and resources that support teachers of English Language Learners.

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This video talks about the strategies for teaching math word problems to ESL learners.

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Another website that gives great tips to teachers on how to teach science to ELLs.

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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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This gives useful tips to help support your ELLs in science. Using visual aids is a great way to help EBs/ELs in learning any subject.

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When teaching students social studies, it will be really beneficial to integrate students' cultures into the lesson. This will helps them to make connections and be more eager to learn. It is important to note that you shouldn't make assumptions about what the student knows about their culture and use the students' communities as a resource for learning about other cultures.

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This website gives tips and strategies how to to effectively teach social studies to ELLs.

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Consider the following scenario:

A fifth-grade teacher was preparing her class to learn about the American Revolution. She enlisted the students' help in acting out the events that led to the Revolution with elaborate props and exercises. When the class ended, the students were told they would read more about the Revolution the following day. As they left the room, an ESL student stopped and asked urgently, "But who won?"

This situation highlights some of the challenges that teachers face when helping English language learners, or ELLs, master social studies content:

Background knowledge
ELLs may not have the same background knowledge that their peers have or that textbook authors take for granted, as explained in this video clip with ELL teacher Amber Prentice.

Different perspectives
ELLs bring their own valuable and important experiences to the classroom. Often those experiences can be connected to the content in meaningful ways; however, if different points of view or ideas aren't expressed or identified, students may miss key concepts and ideas in the lesson.

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!

For content-area teachers with limited experience working with ELLs, planning a lesson that engages them and helps them learn new material may seem daunting. The good news is that there are a number of ways to engage ELLs with social studies content and draw on their own unique background knowledge and perspectives. This article will describe some strategies for planning social studies lessons with ELLs in mind.

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), is available online and 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.

Lesson Planning Strategies

Identify key concepts necessary for understanding the lesson

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

Background knowledge
ELLs with limited or interrupted schooling may not have that same level of knowledge as their peers, especially when it comes to historical or cultural topics. When starting a new lesson, look for references or concepts that may need to be explicitly explained.

Language proficiency
Students may already possess content knowledge that they cannot yet demonstrate in English. Look for opportunities to make associations between students' experiences and new content.

Perspective
Students may have a different perspective on the content than their peers. These differences provide an important opportunity for class discussion and learning as long as they are handled in a sensitive and respectful ways.

In addition, plan to find out what students know about the topic you are teaching before getting started. This will help you fill in gaps and build on prior knowledge. A great tool for this activity is a Circle Map, in which you place the main topic in a small circle and add student ideas in a bigger circle around the topic. You may wish to allow ELLs to use their native language with peers for a quick brainstorm before presenting their ideas to the whole class.

Identify content and language objectives

These objectives are a great way to focus on the most important information and language structures you want your students to master. 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).

Identify key vocabulary and academic vocabulary

Identify 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.

In addition:

Look for problem areas
Clarify potential areas of confusion, such as homonyms or words with more than one meaning.

Include signal and directional words
Remember that students may also need explicit instruction in signal or directional words ("because" and "explain"), especially 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 manipulatives when possible
Having a visual reference for new words is particularly helpful for ELLs.

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.

Prepare to preview the text

One strategy is a "chapter walk", where 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 because it's time-consuming to teach. 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.

You can also use the "BIG FOX" strategy, published by McGraw-Hill. This graphic organizer helps students pick out important terms and pieces of information before reading. I recommend practicing this strategy with some simple readings about familiar topics before jumping in with the textbook. The students will understand the strategy better if they start out with concepts that they understand.

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 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.

Enlist native language support when possible

These strategies can help students identify content they already know, or master new concepts before transferring those ideas and learning how to express them in English:

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

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

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

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.

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).

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 organizers to 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.

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 need to learn how to write a good essay eventually, 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.

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. In Twenty-Five Quick Tips for Classroom Teachers, Haynes 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.

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Preparing an Engaging Social Studies Lesson for English Language Learners

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Consider the following scenario: A fifth-grade teacher was preparing her class to learn about the American Revolution. She enlisted the students' help in acting out the events that led to the Revolution with elaborate props and exercises. When the class ended, the students were told they would read more about the Revolution the following day.

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Tips For Creating Formative Assessments 

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Tips For Creating Formative Assessments 

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It is important to consider your ELLs when creating formative assessments. This website offers great ideas for formative assessments.

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By Sarah Ottow
The Latin root word for "assessment" is assidere which means to sit beside. In my work as an English Language Learner (ELL) specialist, I advocate for educators to intentionally sit beside their students to more deeply understand and support their learning trajectory at the classroom level. That is to say, I strongly advocate for an intentional formative assessment approach for ELLs.
Schools can go beyond traditional summative and interim measures to ensure a more balanced assessment approach that brings to light the nuanced and complex process of academic language development. By implementing formative assessments for ELLs, educators can develop a "language lens" that uncovers and showcases the growth of this culturally and linguistically diverse population.

Where do we start?

First, we can examine what comprises our current assessment systems in place. We have large-scale, "big data" summative assessments that give us "big data" once a year on student proficiency. We also have interim assessments that measure growth against benchmarks periodically throughout the year, often with the audience largely being district and school-level stakeholders.
These summative and interim assessments provide "snapshots" of ELL performance and are not always reliable or valid on the ELL population. Therefore, we need to ask ourselves if we have systemic, systematic formative measures in place that provide feedback on teaching and learning specifically for our ELLs? Do we have a "photo album" approach of ELL development? If not, we can add specific formative practices into our assessment system that celebrate student growth and provide next steps for instruction at the classroom level.

What are some effective formative assessment practices for ELLs?

What's important to remember is that formative assessment is flexible and intended to focus on feedback for both the teacher and the student. As an initial step, I highly recommend that teachers keep portfolios of student writing samples to show individual student growth over time. Through portfolios like journals and learning logs, student work can be the centerpiece in conferences and school data meetings.
Next, I suggest that teachers work with students to co-create appropriate goals for using more sophisticated academic language. It's critical to promote student ownership of the assessment process through goal setting, self-assessment as well as peer assessment opportunities.

How can collaboration strengthen formative assessment?

A critical step in strengthening ELL formative assessments is to create and sustain collaborative time to analyze student work. Evidence-based conversations between educators about what students are producing can directly lead to ideas for effective student feedback and instruction. Professional learning communities are also opportunities for collaboration with ELL specialists to deepen content teachers' understanding of language and literacy. One final tip is to consider building data walls of multiple measures of ELL data quarterly to facilitate data-driven coaching cycles and team planning. In these ways, we can offer a "photo album" approach to show progress over time, celebrating students' journey of academic language development.

We know that ELLs are a diverse group of students with unique assets and varying factors affecting academic performance. Many educators need support in reaching ELLs and teaching academic language yet they often don't know where to start. By implementing more formative assessments for ELLs with the appropriate language supports, teachers can better understand their students and become stronger teachers of academic language. After all, all teachers are indeed language teachers!

Formative Assessment Ideas

Journals or learning logs to show growth over time in a portfolio

Academic conversations to explain new learning

Cornell notes or graphic organizers to structure note-taking

Student-teacher conference or small group discussions to recount learning

Exit slips to show "I think..", "I wonder...", "I still want to know..."

Fill-in-the-blank or "cloze" activity using sentence frames

Reciprocal teaching

Recording student language through technology

Drawing or role playing

Gallery walk of student work where students give each other feedback on stickies

Word or concept sorts based on unit themes or student-created categories

One word or one phrase response using whiteboards

Self-checklist or peer-checklist

Label or sequence visuals like pictures, photos or realia (real life objects)

Student-generated questions for peers

This blog is part of the Supporting English Language Learners Series with support from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. For more, stay tuned for the culminating podcast, infographic and publication.
For more, see:
Sarah Ottow is the founder, director and lead coach at Confianza: Educating for ELL Equity. Follow Confianza on Twitter: @ELL_Confianza Stay in-the-know with all things EdTech and innovations in learning by signing up to receive the weekly Smart Update. This post includes mentions of a Getting Smart partner. For a full list of partners, affiliate organizations and all other disclosures please see our Partner page.

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Supporting English Language Learners with Formative Assessments

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By Sarah Ottow - By implementing formative assessments for ELLs, educators can develop a "language lens" that uncovers and showcases their growth.

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This video talks about what summative assessments are and gives examples of summative assessments. It also talks about making them with ELLs in mind.

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Summative Assessment

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This Course

Video Transcript

In this course, you will learn how to design assessments around the needs of your ELL students and their language level. You will learn how to incorporate language and content requirements for both formative and summative assessment types. You will learn to assess your ELL students through the use of project and task-based assignments. You will learn to use and modify rubrics to align to and measure student achievement of your language and content learning objectives. The course will also briefly cover strategies for supporting ELL students during standardized testing. Upon completing this course, you will be able to: * Conceptualize theories of authentic assessment as they apply to second language learners * Design formative assessment types incorporating language and content objectives * Design summative assessment types incorporating language and content objectives * Incorporate project and task-based assignments as assessment tools for ELLs * Design rubrics that align to language and content objectives for your ELL(s) * Apply the use of rubrics, both language and content, to the work of your ELL(s). * Support your ELL(s) as they participate in standardized testing

View Syllabus

Reviews

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AC

Mar 19, 2019

I strongly recommend this course since it unveils important facts about the evaluation process for educators and students as well.

Helpful?

MS

Feb 17, 2017

Another interesting course. It offers a wide range of resources and content, and the learning outcomes and objectives are clear.

Helpful?

From the lesson

Formative and Summative Assessment with the ELL in Mind

Welcome to week 2 of the course! The lessons this week focus a bit more specifically on the different types of assessment and how they uniquely impact our ELLs. We hope that you find some helpful strategies in the lessons provided. By the end of this module, you will be able to: identify purposes of formative and summative assessment types, employ a variety of formative assessments in the content classroom while keeping in mind ELL language acquisition, design plenary activities within the lesson plan as a means of formative assessment design summative assessments in the content classroom while keeping in mind ELL language acquisition, use "can-do" statements as a means of describing assessment criteria for language and content objectives. Let's get started!

Taught By

Claire McLaughlin

Senior International Educator

Ellen Manos

Senior International Educator

Transcript

[MUSIC] >> Hi, and welcome back to Assessing Achievement with the ELL in Mind. In this video, we're going to give you a brief overview of summative assessment, and its place within a content classroom, especially with our ELLs in mind. First, what is summative assessment? Summative assessment is the assessment of learning. In other words, what has the student learned by the end of the unit, the end of a course, or the end of a grade level. It is really a review of learning as compared to a standard. This includes content standards and national standards. In other words, in some way, the student's learning is measured to a set bar. Summative assessment measures what students have learned over a set period of time. This type of assessment can be teacher created, but it is often created by others, especially standardized tests. Often we see assessments at a grade and content level that are created by districts so that there are some comparative results among teachers and students. Summative assessment is supported by outcomes of formative assessment. So, often, the students participate in a variety of formative assessments that mirror some kind of task they have to complete on the summative assessment in preparation for it. Why is summative assessment important for ELLs in the content classroom? First and foremost, summative assessment can provide a diagnostic assessment of the student. Often times ELLs are asked to complete a language exam prior to entering content classrooms. This will give the content teacher a basis for the student's language abilities. Next, summative assessment provides information to a third party. This could be the administration team, the school office, the district office, or it could simply be another teacher that the student has in a different content area. Often summative assessment results are including in a student's transcripts or permanent file. For ELLs summative assessment is important because it gives them a basis for inclusion. Often educational opportunities related to college, scholarships or federal monies, are tied to assessment results. Through participation in these assessments, ELLs are provided those same opportunities. Summative assessment measures the language and the content knowledge mastered, and gives teachers an opportunity to snapshot the ELL's best work within the content area. There are many different types of summative assessment. The first and most major type is standardized tests, these fall under the realm of summative assessment. As they are measured to a standard or a bar that the students are expected to meet, after completing a certain grade or content area. Other types of summative assessment could be a test, multiple choice or short answer, for example, it could be a written or oral presentation, or it could be a performance task. In the case of these last three examples, the summative assessment would come at the end of a unit or a lesson and is often teacher created. All students would be held to, and graded on, a common standard or rubric. Though their purposes are different, formative and summative assessment play complementary and special roles within the content classroom, especially with the ELL in mind.

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Summative Assessment Loading... This Course Video Transcript In this course, you will learn how to design assessments around the needs of your ELL students and their language level. You will learn how to incorporate language and content requirements for both formative and summative assessment types.

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This website talks about what summative assessments are and gives examples to use in the classroom.

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This website gives examples of formative assessments that are good to use with ELLs.

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The Latin root word for "assessment" is assidere which means to sit beside. In my work as an English Language Learner (ELL) specialist, I advocate for educators to intentionally sit beside their students to more deeply understand and support their learning trajectory at the classroom level. That is to say, I strongly advocate for an intentional formative assessment approach for ELLs.

Schools can go beyond traditional summative and interim measures to ensure a more balanced assessment approach that brings to light the nuanced and complex process of academic language development. By implementing formative assessments for ELLs, educators can develop a "language lens" that uncovers and showcases the growth of this culturally and linguistically diverse population.

Where do we start?

First, we can examine what comprises our current assessment systems in place. We have large-scale, "big data" summative assessments that give us "big data" once a year on student proficiency. We also have interim assessments that measure growth against benchmarks periodically throughout the year, often with the audience largely being district and school-level stakeholders.

These summative and interim assessments provide "snapshots" of ELL performance and are not always reliable or valid on the ELL population. Therefore, we need to ask ourselves if we have systemic, systematic formative measures in place that provide feedback on teaching and learning specifically for our ELLs? Do we have a "photo album" approach of ELL development? If not, we can add specific formative practices into our assessment system that celebrate student growth and provide next steps for instruction at the classroom level.

What are some effective formative assessment practices for ELLs?

What's important to remember is that formative assessment is flexible and intended to focus on feedback for both the teacher and the student. As an initial step, I highly recommend that teachers keep portfolios of student writing samples to show individual student growth over time. Through portfolios like journals and learning logs, student work can be the centerpiece in conferences and school data meetings.

Next, I suggest that teachers work with students to co-create appropriate goals for using more sophisticated academic language. It's critical to promote student ownership of the assessment process through goal setting, self-assessment as well as peer assessment opportunities.

How can collaboration strengthen formative assessment?

A critical step in strengthening ELL formative assessments is to create and sustain collaborative time to analyze student work. Evidence-based conversations between educators about what students are producing can directly lead to ideas for effective student feedback and instruction. Professional learning communities are also opportunities for collaboration with ELL specialists to deepen content teachers' understanding of language and literacy. One final tip is to consider building data walls of multiple measures of ELL data quarterly to facilitate data-driven coaching cycles and team planning. In these ways, we can offer a "photo album" approach to show progress over time, celebrating students' journey of academic language development.

We know that ELLs are a diverse group of students with unique assets and varying factors affecting academic performance. Many educators need support in reaching ELLs and teaching academic language yet they often don't know where to start. By implementing more formative assessments for ELLs with the appropriate language supports, teachers can better understand their students and become stronger teachers of academic language. After all, all teachers are indeed language teachers!

Formative Assessment Ideas

Journals or learning logs to show growth over time in a portfolio

Academic conversations to explain new learning

Cornell notes or graphic organizers to structure note-taking

Student-teacher conference or small group discussions to recount learning

Exit slips to show "I think..", "I wonder...", "I still want to know..."

Fill-in-the-blank or "cloze" activity using sentence frames

Reciprocal teaching

Recording student language through technology

Drawing or role playing

Gallery walk of student work where students give each other feedback on stickies

Word or concept sorts based on unit themes or student-created categories

One word or one phrase response using whiteboards

Self-checklist or peer-checklist

Label or sequence visuals like pictures, photos or realia (real life objects)

Student-generated questions for peers

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Formative Assessment for Language Learners - Confianza

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Featured on Getting Smart By Sarah Ottow The Latin root word for "assessment" is assidere which means to sit beside. In my work as an English Language Learner (ELL) specialist, I advocate for educators to intentionally sit beside&n

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This website gives different apps that students can use to help them learn a language. Students love using technology, so I think incorporating one of these in the classroom can help engage students.

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Today's kids are growing up in a multicultural global society unlike any other. Learning to speak multiple languages is a real benefit, and the younger you start, the better. These world language learning apps provide options for students from Pre-K through high school (and beyond), in the classroom or at home. Whatever language you want to learn to speak, there's an app for that! Also, make sure to check out our best websites for teaching Spanish and French.

(Note: WeAreTeachers may collect a small portion of the profit from links within this article. We only showcase items we love!)

Little Pim

If you don't want to waste any time introducing your little one to multiple languages, Little Pim is the app for you! Kids learn basic vocabulary through short videos, with no reading necessary. Little Pim, the panda, will teach them 360 words and phrases in 12 languages, including Mandarin, Arabic, and Spanish. Parents and teachers can download companion guides to get the most out of every language.

Details: Ages 0-6. $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year. Available for iOS, Android, Roku, Amazon FireTV, Apple TV, and Android TV.

Try it: Little Pim

Peg and Pog

Peg and Pog (and their cute cat Cosmo) are touring the world, discovering languages along the way. They journey to different scenes and learn vocabulary as they explore them, from their own bedroom and the grocery store to underwater and outer space adventures! Kids interact with the scenes and characters by tapping to experience sounds, words, and animation. There are free printables like coloring pages and support exercises to accompany these language learning apps, which is a cool perk.

Details: Ages 3-5. Peg and Porg app is $3.99 and includes French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin. Individual apps are available for each language, $2.99 each. Available for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Try it: Peg and Pog

Gus on the Go

Meet Gus, a world-traveling owl with a love of languages! He's here to introduce the early learning crowd to a variety of languages from around the world. Gus on the Go is a series of language learning apps, sold separately, one for each of 30 languages (at last count). Each one contains 10 lessons with basic vocabulary words, using interactive games to help little ones learn. The language selection is wide, from the usual Spanish and French to Hebrew, Armenian, Hindi, and more.

Details: Ages 3-7. Individual language apps are $3.99 each. Available for iOS, Android, and Kindle.

Try it: Gus on the Go

Drops and Droplets

Drops (owned by teacher-favorite Kahoot!) is one of the more popular language learning apps for adults, and Droplets is their specialized offering with kids in mind. Both apps focus on brief (5 minutes or less) lessons or games, so you can make progress in just minutes a day. There's lots of emphasis on visual learning, too. 37+ languages are included as separate courses in the same app.

Details: Droplets was designed for ages 8-17, and Drops is appropriate for those ages too. The free plans allow five minutes of gameplay every 10 hours. Premium pricing starts as low as $5 a month (billed yearly) and includes no ads, unlimited play, and additional features. School license discounts are available. Available for iOS, Android, and web.

Duolingo

Duolingo set out to be the premier free language learning app, and they've certainly kept their promises. The free version has very few limitations, though you will see ads. Duolingo keeps their lessons brief and effective, and they have dozens of languages available with new ones always on the way. The app uses "streaks" to keep the motivation factor high, which is a nice touch. Duolingo for Schools is also free and provides ways for teachers to track and review their students' progress. Parents and teachers can set age restrictions to tailor vocabulary to be age-appropriate too.

Details: Account holders must be 13+, but parents can set up accounts for kids, who will do best if they have some reading skills. Duolingo Plus removes ads and provides offline access for $12.99 a month. Available for iOS and Android.

Try it: Duolingo

RosettaStone

RosettaStone has been around for quite some time and now offers its courses as language learning apps. Their immersion method has been a popular choice since its inception, and the apps continue that success story. Parents and teachers can track and monitor student progress, and features are available both online and offline, including audio-only lessons.

Details: Ages 6+, with basic reading skills. Individual languages are $36 for three months or buy an annual subscription that includes all languages starting at $7.99 a month (billed annually). Available for iOS, Android, and web.

Try it: Rosetta Stone

Babbel

Babbel's focus is on conversational languages, and their app covers about a dozen of them, including Spanish, Danish, and Polish. Progressive lessons build skills as you advance, using an immersion-style learning process. Speech-recognition tools listen and correct pronunciation as needed. The new Babbel Live program allows you to take live language classes tailored toward your needs, like German Travel or French for Dining.

Details: Ages 12+, Babbel Live Classes 16+. Subscriptions start at $6.95 monthly (billed annually) and include all languages. Babbel Live classes start at $15 per class. Available for iOS, Android, and web.

Try it: Babbel

Pimsleur

Pimsleur has the feel of a more traditional language class, delivered via app. Individual languages (50+) are available, including unique choices like Ojibwe and Icelandic. The program uses the Pimsleur method, with a focus on memory, context, and vocabulary. It's ideal for a homeschool setting or for students who want to learn a language not offered at their school.

Details: Ages 13+. Course prices vary, with some offered by the lesson and others as a monthly subscription. Available for iOS, Android, and web.

Try it: Pimsleur

MemRise

As you might guess from the name, MemRise concentrates on memorization techniques to build vocabulary. This can be great for students who need some extra practice but is unlikely to build fluency on its own. Some courses are user-built and may vary in quality. You can try out any course for free, but you'll need a paid subscription (which includes all available languages) to get access to all the activities and exercises.

Details: Ages 12+. Premium version starts at $7.50 a month, billed annually. Available for iOS, Android, and web.

Try it: Memrise

Lirica

Liria is truly unique among language learning apps and bound to be a hit with teens! It's easy to memorize song lyrics, even in other languages, but do you know what they mean? Lirica is here to help! The app teaches Spanish and German (as well as English) one hit song at a time, expanding on the lyrics to help you learn grammar and vocabulary. Spanish teachers will love using this one with their classes!

Details: Ages 12+. Premium subscriptions are available for $7.99 a month or $24.99 a year. Available for iOS and Android.

Try it: Lirica

Language Learning with Netflix is actually a Chrome extension. When you add it to your browser and log into Netflix, the extension recommends shows and movies that work well with its language learning features. Then, you can change the type of subtitles you see, pause them, and click to see a dictionary entry or save a word. It's an interesting and free option worth giving a try if you're already a Netflix subscriber.

What are your favorite world language learning apps? Come share on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE on Facebook!

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Top 10 Best World Language Learning Apps For Students and Schools

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Today's kids are growing up in a multicultural global society unlike any other. Learning to speak multiple languages is a real benefit, and the younger you start, the better. These world language learning apps provide options for students from Pre-K through high school (and beyond), in the classroom or at home.

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This website gives different games that ELL students can use and how to play them.

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Please find below a comprehensive list of our online ESL games. These games are perfect for face-to-face teaching with an interactive digital board or conducting online classes through Zoom. We have many more online games coming soon, so be sure to check back frequently.

ESL Say It! - A simple no prep warmer/cooler or quick break for students. In this activity students have to say a word from a category that begins with a letter.

ESL Wordle - based in the popular English word game but with 8 categories to make the game easier to be played by language learners

ESL Guess Who - Practice describing people with this fun online game.

Circle Word - In this game students need to work out what the 3,4,5 or 6 letter word is to get the highest score. Great for teens and adults A2+

MIXUP - A simple quick fire vocabulary game. How many words can you guess in 90 seconds?

Word Wheel - Get class started with this fun vocabulary challenge. In this game students try and guess what the nine letter word is while also making words using the letters and the key letter. The team with the most words and points will win!

Learn to tell the time - Practice reading the setting the time with this fun interactive game to practice telling the time.

ESL Scattergories! - A classic quick thinking vocabulary where students need to think of vocabulary quickly to get the most words beginning with a letter.

Scattagories for Kids! - Now play with young learner and lower level students in this simplified version of our classic game.

Name 5! - Name 5! is a simple no prep vocabulary warmer. In this activity students need to say a number of words based on a range of topics. Can your students beat the clock!

5 Seconds! - Students need to say 3 words from a random category in 5 seconds to score a point.

Guess the Word - A fun game to practice reading, spelling and vocabulary. Students read the definition and try and guess what the word is. Ideal for A2 level students. 11 categories of words to practice with.

2 Pictures 1 Compound - Can you guess the closed compounds nouns from the pictures? Practice guessing the compounds nouns with this fun interactive game.

Interactive Board Games - Practice speaking, grammar and vocabulary with these interactive online board games. New board games added regularly.

ESL Vocabulary Fortunes - An online game for teens and adults that is a great way to practice vocabulary on a large number of topics.

Word Search - Who can find the words first? With this multiplayer word search game practice spelling, reading and much much more.

Animal Vocabulary Games - Practice animals with these four interactive online games. These fun games are a great way to revise animal vocabulary with your students.

Fruit and Vegetables - Practice vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation with this fun interactive word game.

Animals - Practice animal vocabulary, spelling and pronunciation with this fun interactive game.

Story Dice - Get your students making and telling stories with this fun online story tool.

ESL Countdown - Practice vocabulary and spelling with countdown.

Anagram Word Game - A simple word game. Suitable for teens and adults with an intermediate and above level of English.

Word Unscramble - Practice vocabulary and spelling with this unscramble game for young learners.

ESL Category Generator - Generate categories to get your students practicing vocabulary. Great activity to be used with a ball or in online classes to get students thinking at the start of class as a warmer.

Trivia Quiz Generator - Generate quizzes quickly with this simple tool. Ideal for teens and adults intermediate and above.

Random Letter Generator - Generate random letters from the alphabet with this simple letter generating tool.

ESL Idiom Generator - Generate over 100 of the most common English language idioms. Get students to draw or mime out the idioms as a way to introduce them to the most common idioms in English.

Random Noun Generator - Randomly generate over 200 of the most common nouns in the English Language. Great for Pictionary and other end of the class coolers.

Catchphrase - A quick fire word game where students explain as many words as they can within the time limit.

Pictionary - Automatically generate words from three different levels of difficulty and play Pictionary with your students in a flash.

ESL Boggle - Boggle is a great warmer that can be used in the classroom. With this online version get students writing words to be the top of the class.

ESL Quizzes - Our Quizzes are a great way to end class and practice key vocabulary for a wide range of themes. Check back regularly as we are adding new quizzes regularly.

Question Unscramble - Practice grammar and speaking by unscrambling these questions which cover 15 different grammar topics.

Would You Rather - A simple no-prep warmer or cooler to get students speaking about what they would rather do in different situations. Ideal for students B1 (lower-intermediate +).

Directions Game - Practice giving directions with your students with this interactive map or let students create their own map.

FCE Speaking Practice - Practice FCE Speaking Part 1 and 2 with this interactive tool. There are over 80 part 1 questions and 24 part 2.

ESL Guess Who - Practice describing people with this fun online game.

The Expert - In this speaking game students speak about a topic for 30/60/120 seconds to gain points for their team.

Interactive Board Games - Practice speaking, grammar and vocabulary with these interactive online board games. New board games added regularly.

Movers Spot the Difference - Practice for the Cambridge Movers Speaking exam with this free fun interactive online game.

ESL Brain Teasers - Do you want to get your students thinking? Practice lateral thinking and reading with this brain teasers for all ages and levels.

Describe the photo - Practice speaking about photos for B1 (PET) students.

Story Dice - Get your students making and telling stories with this fun online story tool.

Spot The Difference - Can you spot the differences? Levels 1 - 8 are now available, more levels coming soon.

ESL Odd One Out - An online game that is a great way to practice vocabulary and speaking with young learners. This activity is great to help students practice for the Cambridge Movers exam.

Irregular Verb Challenge - Practice irregular verbs with your students using this tool. This versatile game can be played in many different ways and is a great routine to master irregular verbs with your students.

Interactive Board Games - Practice speaking, grammar and vocabulary with these interactive online board games. New board games added regularly.

ESL Quizzes - Our Quizzes are a great way to end class and practice key vocabulary for a wide range of themes. Check back regularly as we are adding new quizzes regularly.

Fortune Teller - Practice " yes/no" and "will" + future question forming with your students with this fortune teller.

ESL Bomb Game - Bomb is an engaging scoring system that adds excitement to any game.

Football Kick Off - Are your students football mad? Then this might be the game for you. Which team will win in this fantastic football game.

Classroom Car Race - Rev your engines and get ready to win it big with this fun car race themed board game. Ideal to use with your own questions and help keep the score.

American Football Rush - The American football version of our Football Kick off game. A quick no fuss way to gamify your lessons with no printouts.

Wheel of Fortune - Spin the wheel and win points for up to five teams.

Hidden Treasure - In this game students need to answer questions set by the teacher and try and find the hidden treasure before the others. The first to find it wins!

Student Vs Teacher - Who will win in this turn based based game? The student or the teacher?

ESL Battleship - Battleship is another engaging scoring system that will have students wanting more! How quickly can your students find all the ships and win?

Four in a Row (Connect Four) - This classic game can be used in many different ways in the classroom, as a treat, with speaking or while doing revision. Whatever way you use it it's sure to be popular.

Blockbuster - Gamify your online and face to face lessons with Blockbuster. Use this game to practice vocabulary, word formation or just about any activity. Students work in teams and have to get across the board.

Basketball Shoot - A simple game you can use to gamify you classes. This basketball themed game allows you to use your own material but use this fun game to allow students to use their skill to score a point. Great with mixed ability sports crazy classes.

Rock, Paper, Scissors - Battle your students in an epic match of 'Rock, Paper, Scissors'.

ESL Play Your Cards Right - A fun higher or lower game.

Virtual Classroom Horse Race - Bring your students to the horse races with this simple interactive game. Have students choose a horse and see who wins! Great to gamify your class and make everyone have a chance of winning big.

Tic Tac Toe - Play this classic versatile game with our interactive board game and gamify you lessons quickly and easily.

Tic Tac Toe - Dragons vs Unicorns - Play the ultimate tic tac toe battle in class. Who will win? Dragons or Unicorns?

Math Skills - Practice addition, subtraction, division and multiplication with this fun online game.

How Many? Counting Game - Practice counting, numbers and 'there are' / "there is" with this fun interactive counting game.

Addition Challenge - A quick fire addition maths game that will help your students practice quick thinking with numbers and addition in English or any target language. A fun no prep warmer/cooler for class.

Number Match - A simple multiplication challenge to get students thinking and multiplying in English. A great warmer to get your students thinking and focused!

Count Your Chickens! - A simple counting and Math problem game for kids. Can your students decide how many chickens to put across the fence?

Multiplication Checker - Test your test young learners multiplication skills with this interactive tool

.

Alphabet Game - In this mini game students need to touch the letters of the alphabet in order. Ideal for young learners.

Guess the Word - A fun game to practice reading, spelling and vocabulary. Students read the definition and try and guess what the word is. Ideal for A2 level students. 11 categories of words to practice with.

Scattagories for Kids! - Now play with young learner and lower level students in this simplified version of our classic game.

Count Your Chickens! - A simple counting and Math problem game for kids. Can your students decide how many chickens to put across the fence?

Vocabulary Fortunes for Kids - This game is a great way to practice and reinforce vocabulary with young learners. Covering 12 different themes found in most young learner course books this game is sure to be popular with your students.

Animal Vocabulary Games - Practice animals with these four interactive online games. These fun games are a great way to revise animal vocabulary with your students.

How Many? Counting Game - Practice counting, numbers and 'there are' / "there is" with this fun interactive counting game.

Movers Spot the Difference - Practice for the Cambridge Movers Speaking exam with this free fun interactive online game.

Spot The Difference - Can you spot the differences? Levels 1 - 8 are now available, more levels coming soon.

Interactive Word Search - Online interactive word search (word soup) puzzles for Young learners with target vocabulary for Cambridge Young Learner Exams (Starters, Movers and Flyers A1 & A2. A Fun way to practice spelling with students in class, on their own or online with Zoom.

Word Unscramble - Practice vocabulary and spelling with this unscramble game for young learners.

ESL Hangman - Hangman is a no-prep way to practice spelling and vocabulary recall with your students.

ESL Picture Reveal - A fun way to introduce a topic, unit or just revise vocabulary with your students. These preprepared picture reveals will save you time and have students reviewing vocabulary in a fun and interactive way.

Memory Match - Review vocabulary with young learners with these interactive memory match game.

Story Dice - Get your students making and telling stories with this fun online story tool.

ESL Writing Prompt Generator - An entertaining way to practice writing with young learners and even teens.

More online ESL games coming soon! (Last updated 10 May 2023)

Online ESL Classroom Tools

Classroom Dice - A simple virtual dice that can be used on any device

Date and Weather Interactive Chart (New) - Our no fuss interactive date and weather chart is a great way practice the date and weather each day with your students.

Classroom Soundboard - This tool helps teachers manage classroom transitions with simple sounds that they can assign to different classroom tasks e.g listen to the teacher, change groups, go back to your desk etc.

Cipher Making Tool - Make secret ciphers quickly and easily with our new Cipher tool.

Tell the Time - Practice telling the time with this free online tool for teens and adults.

Story Dice - Get your students making and telling stories with this fun online story tool.

Random Letter Generator - Generate random letters from the alphabet with this simple letter generating tool.

Random Number Generator - Play bingo, practice numbers or pick who goes first, all with this random number generator.

ESL Category Generator - Generate categories to get your students practicing vocabulary. Great activity to be used with a ball or in online classes to get students thinking at the start of class as a warmer.

Student Name Picker - A random name selector for you to use in your classroom when choosing a student to complete a task, answer a question, or participate in an activity.

Spin the Wheel - Spin the wheel is a simple way of awarding points to students in a fun and interactive way.

Classroom Coin Flip - Flip a virtual coin to decide teams, who's first and much more.

Classroom Score Board - Keep score with this interactive classroom score board.

Classroom Timer - Keep a track of time with this handy timer.

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A collection of online ESL Games and activities for young learners, teens and adults. Ideal for interactive whiteboards and online classes

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This website offers tips to increase parent involvement with their ELL student. It is important to get them involved because it will help of the EB/EL student.

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According to the most recent data from the U.S. National Center of Education Statistics, 10 percent of our student population (or 5 million students) are English language learners. With the high number of ELLs in our schools comes a pressing need to engage their parents in their education. Research shows that when parents are actively involved in their children's education, students are more likely to experience academic success.

School leaders often lack the knowledge and skills to initiate relationships with the parents of our ELLs and to integrate them into their schools in an effective manner.

Having taught for over ten years in districts across the country with high populations of English learners, I have found the following strategies to be highly effective in engaging parents of ELLs in their children's education.

10 Ways to Encourage ELL Parental Involvement in School

1. Communicate with them in their home language.

2. Offer a welcoming school environment.

3. Invite them to English classes for adults.

4. Provide them with community resources.

5. Plan a welcome dinner at the beginning of the school year.

6. Encourage them to join the PTO.

7. Ask them to chaperone field trips.

8. Invite them to volunteer in their children's classroom.

9. Give them specific strategies for helping their child.

10. Ask them how the school can better help them support their children.

1. Communicate With Them in Their Native Language

The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice requires schools to communicate information to limited English proficient parents in a language they can understand about any school-related program, service or activity that is provided to parents who are proficient in English.

How Do Schools Know their Students' Home Language?

When parents enroll their child in school, they are required to complete a Home Language Survey on which they are asked for their preferred language of communication. This is the language schools should use for all written and oral information they provide to parents related to their child's education. If you are a teacher and notice this is not happening, make sure you advocate for your English learners by ensuring their parents' rights aren't disregarded.

3 Essentials
1. Bilingual Staff in the Front Office
The majority of English learners' parents speak Spanish at home. For this reason, it is necessary to have a secretary in the front office who speaks both Spanish and English. This creates a welcoming school environment for Spanish-speaking parents as it offers them immediate assistance when they stop by the school to ask a question or to share important information about their child. Without this essential staff member, non-English speaking parents are unlikely to even enter the school building because they know they won't be understood, or they will feel embarrassed when the front office scrambles to find somebody who speaks Spanish so that they can talk to the parent.
2. Written Documents
It is critical that schools develop a direct and positive relationship with their district translation and interpretation office. All important papers that are sent home with students or through regular mail must be in the parents' preferred language. District translation departments normally have a 2-week turnaround time for projects. This means schools need to be proactive and ensure in advance that they have these documents translated and ready for their parents in a timely manner. This includes field trip permission forms, parent conference invitations, free and reduced school lunch application forms, and everything else teachers send home. A smart school will keep electronic and/or hard copy files of translations of important documents that are sent out yearly, and update them as needed.
3. Meetings and Conferences
Parents of English learners need to be aware that the district should provide them with an interpreter for all school meetings and conferences for their child. School leaders should ensure that an interpreter has been requested and provided for special education meetings, parent conferences, and any other important school gatherings related to their child's education.

2. Create a Welcoming School Environment

A school's atmosphere is created first and foremost by its staff. A meaningful way to help create a warm and inviting environment for the parents of our non-English speaking parents is to recruit more bilingual staff.

An Inviting Front Office

Having a bilingual secretary in the front office, as already mentioned, is one of the most significant ways to offer parents a warm welcome to their school. In addition to being bilingual, it is important that this secretary be friendly and warm. After all, being able to speak Spanish while being short-tempered and rude defeats the purpose of trying to engage the parents of English learners in school. The secretary should be patient, kind and have empathy towards the parents of ELLs.

A Culturally Diverse Staff

It's also important to have culturally diverse staff throughout the school. Adults who have experienced many interactions with people of other ethnicities are often much more open and comfortable reaching out to the parents of ELLs. They are also usually more sensitive to some of the challenges their students' parents face, such as a lack of community resources, illiteracy in English and sometimes even illiteracy in their native language.

A Bilingual Administrator

Due to the high number of ELLs in some schools, having an administrator who speaks both English and Spanish is a necessity. This enables him or her to develop a positive rapport with ELLs and their parents from the very beginning of the school year, and to effectively communicate with them about academic and behavioral concerns. With most schools having one or more assistant principals in addition to a principal, it should not be difficult for one of these positions to be filled by a bilingual administrator.

More Teachers Endorsed to Teach ELLs

Recruiting teachers who are endorsed to teach ELLs is another significant way to create an inviting school atmosphere for the parents of our English learners. Teachers who have voluntarily sought endorsement in teaching ELLs usually have a passion for teaching students whose native language is not English. They are also often more compassionate and understanding of the struggles these students and their families experience.

3. Invite Them to English Classes

Many parents of English language learners sincerely want to learn English but are held back.
Some obstacles they might face:

They lack confidence to learn English.

They're not sure where to go for classes.

Their work schedule makes it very difficult for them to attend.

They lack transportation.

Child care is unavailable to them.

They are illegal immigrants and are afraid to show up.

They are unaware that classes are usually free.

What Can School Leaders Do to Reach Parents?

Several districts I taught in had very effective Adult Education Programs for the parents of their English learners. By effective I mean that they had high parent turnout. Both of these disticts had the following items in place:

Several adult English classes were available throughout the city so that parents could attend more easily based on where they lived.

English classes for children were offered at the same locations and at the same times adult classes were offered so that parents did not have to worry about child care.

All classes were free to parents.

The school districts recruited paid staff to teach their classes. They did not rely on their English language teachers to step in to teach these classes outside of their school contract hours.

Schools were very proactive in informing parents, in their native language, that English classes were available to them. Flyers were provided to parents with all the necessary details (time, location, etc.) well in advance of the start dates for these classes.

4. Share Community Resources With Them

Many of our ELLs' parents are grappling to hold down a job or, in some cases, multiple jobs, while also raising one or more children. They often struggle financially just to meet their family's basic needs and don't always have a support system in place, particularly if they are newcomers in the U.S.

Many of our immigrant and refugee families don't know where to turn for essential services for themselves and their families.
These services may include:

Health care

Health insurance

Dental care

Dental insurance

Glasses for their child

Mental health counseling

Substance abuse help

Domestic abuse support

Transportation

Food assistance

Schools can provide families with an updated list of community resources available to them. This list should be available in their preferred language of communication and should include contact information so that parents can readily reach them as needed.

As families express needs for services that are not already included in the list, schools can do their best to locate providers in their area who can meet these needs, and add their names to the list of resources.

5. Host a Welcome Dinner

A meaningful way to draw parents to school is through food! Start the school year on a positive note by planning a welcome dinner for parents.
Ensure it will be a success by doing the following:

Send home the invitations in your parents' home language.

Make it clear to them that the dinner is free of charge to them.

Provide enough food for their families so they don't have to worry about child care.

Offer the dinner at a time that is convenient to most families.

Send the invitations home well in advance so that families can plan ahead.

Consider foods that are appealing to the families of your ELLs, such as ethnic foods they are accustomed to eating.

If speakers will be present at the dinner, be sure to book interpreters well in advance.

Offer paper bags for parents to take home leftovers.

Invite your school staff to the dinner.

6. Encourage Them to Join the PTO

Many school Parent Teacher Organizations have at least one parent who is bilingual in English and Spanish. If they don't, they need to recruit one and treat that person like gold! This will be your key individual-or liaison- in reaching out to Spanish-speaking parents in your school and inviting them to join the PTO.
Some ways a bilingual PTO member can reach out to parents of ELLs:

a phone call

an email

a personal card or letter through the regular mail

a letter sent home with their child

ELL parents are much more likely to join the PTO if they receive a personal invitation from somebody who speaks their language and understands their culture. They are even more likely to join if that somebody offers their friendship and is willing to help them navigate through some of the challenges they face as newcomers in their community.

7. Ask Them to Chaperone Field Trips

Schools are always in need of parent chaperones for field trips. With many English learners in schools, it's very helpful to have Spanish speaking adults along. Including non-English speaking parents in these excursions is a fun and natural way to include them in their children's education.

It's important to note that many limited-English proficient parents understand English much better than they're able to speak it. However, providing them with a written translation of the rules and expectations for field trips is essential in equipping them to fulfill their roles well.

8. Invite Them to Their Child's Classroom

Most parents of our ELLs would love to spend time in their child's classroom to see how they spend part of their school day. Many of them will welcome the chance to learn some English while they're there!

What are your parents' strengths? Give them a basic questionnaire to assess this. Use this information to maximize your parents' usefulness in the classroom and to make it a more enjoyable experience for them.

Some Classroom Volunteer Jobs for Parents

assembling and stapling paper take-home books

cutting flashcards

organizing books by genre in the classroom library

listening to students read

reading with students

taking students to the library and helping them find books on their topics of interest

helping students generate ideas for writing

monitoring students as they work to ensure they're on task

helping students check their work, such as by using a rubric

9. Teach Them Specific Strategies to Help Their Child

Many parents of our ELLs genuinely want to help their children succeed academically but don't have the tools they need to do this. Their limited English skills are often a barrier in being able to assist their child as much as they'd like, and they often feel discouraged by this.

However, there are actually many ways parents of ELLs can support their children academically even if they aren't proficient in English!

It is helpful for teachers to provide parents with specific guidance and strategies they can use at home.
Some examples:

Explain to them that reading to their child in their native language or allowing their child to read independently in their first language is highly effective for developing their child's overall literacy. The main thing is that they read!

Make sure your students have plenty of books to read at home, in both English and their native language.

Introduce your parents to their local libraries and to the wide range of resources they offer. Encourage them to take their chldren to the library regularly. Teach them how easy it is to get a library card and that let them know it's free! An easy way to share all this information with families is to prepare a handout for them in their native language with engaging visuals.

Send home reading journals in English on one side and in their home language translation on the other. Teach parents how students should complete these. For example, ask your students to read for 20 minutes each day and to record their favorite part of their reading that day. Collect their journals at the end of the week.

Teach parents to ask their child specific questions after he or she reads a book or story to assess their comprehension.These questions may include asking for a simple summary of what they read, who the main characters were, what the conflict in the chapter or story was, and how the conflict was solved.

Show your parents how to access the portal your school uses to post student grades, missing assignments and other important academic information. Parents normally need to create an account with a username and password.

Show your parents how to utilize the translation tool on your school's website. With a simple click, they can scroll down and select their language of choice for reading all the information on the page. This will enable them to stay posted on important school announcements and events.

10. Ask How You Can Better Support Them

Asking the parents of our English language learners what we can do to better help them support their child shows that we value their involvement in their child's education. It is, of course, essential that this question be asked in a genuine manner so that parents know that we care.

Even if our students' parents are unable to engage further in their child's school and education due to work and family obligations, they will more than appreciate being asked how we can help. This simple gesture will help build trust between them and their child's school.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. © 2020 Madeleine Clays

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10 Successful Ways to Involve Parents of English Learners in School

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According to the most recent data from the U.S. National Center of Education Statistics, 10 percent of our student population (or 5 million students) are English language learners. With the high number of ELLs in our schools comes a pressing need to engage their parents in their education.

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Encouraging and Sustaining ELL Parent Engagement

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Encouraging and Sustaining ELL Parent Engagement

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Another website that gives great advice on how to get parents involved in their child's learning.

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Encouraging and Sustaining ELL Parent Engagement

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The following strategies offer tips for thinking creatively about how to engage families around topics or activities that are important to them and their children.Supporting immigrant familiesFor related ideas, see the following:Ten Strategies for Supporting Immigrant Students and FamiliesHow to Support Immigrant Students and Families: Strategies for Schools and Early Childhood Programs10. Look for ways that ELL parents can help with children’s schoolworkDownload PDF versions:This article >Full guide >A. What you need to knowELL parents may feel intimidated by or unprepared to help with homework or other schoolwork, especially if they have limited educational or English skills (Zarate, 9). You can help them understand their important role in supporting their child’s success, however, with a few simple suggestions. (Related video: Reaching out to families, Kevin Eberle)B. ReflectionWhat kinds of support do you expect your parents to give their children in terms of schoolwork? What kinds of resources and educational background (and language skills) do parents need in order to give their children that help? What are other ways parents can help?C. StrategiesEncourage parents to:Provide a place where children can do their homeworkCheck that homework is completed each nightAsk their children to tell them about what they learned each dayKeep in regular contact with a teacher or staff member about their child’s progressAsk teachers about any questions that ariseLearn more about homework help programs through before-/after-school programs and the public libraryRead and tell stories in their native language.D. ExampleMarty Izaguirre is an ELL teacher in Okatie, South Carolina. Her elementary school holds Family Literacy Nights, which take place after school every other month and provide working parents with an opportunity to read to their children in both English and Spanish. Once parents come in, they find read-aloud circles (where teachers read books aloud to a small group), as well as areas where they can go and read with their child separately. The variety of activities provided to the parents allows them to join in an activity in which they feel comfortable. Adults and children are allowed time and space to read together. The school also provides an opportunity for parents and children to create their own special bookmark as they enjoy some refreshments. The events offer parents an opportunity to meet other parents, show their children the importance of reading, and learn how to support literacy development at home (Izaguirre, 2006).11. Look for ways that ELL parents can participate and volunteerA. What you need to knowThere are a number of ways to include parents in the school community and to bring them together with other families at the school. This might include school visits, volunteering, or activities that draw upon their skills and hobbies.B. ReflectionHow likely are ELL parents at your school to sign up for events or volunteer? Do they know about all of the opportunities at the school? Are there certain events or places in the school where your active parents tend to gather? Do you know what skills and talents they might have to offer?C. StrategiesInvite parents to visit the school and their child’s classroom regularly (Houk, 66).Invite parents to speak with their child’s class about their native country, a hobby, or their job.Encourage teachers to have an inviting activity ready for visiting parents.Encourage parents to volunteer in the classroom, main office, lunchroom, or library; during events or field trips; or in a student club or after-school program (Meyers, 45). (Keep in mind that volunteering may include simple things like preparing items for an activity — such as cutting out shapes and organizing supplies.) Find out what your parents’ skills and hobbies are, and look for ways to draw on their talents.Find ways to bring ELL and non-ELL families together through student performances, a student cultures night, storytelling, workshops, and exhibits (Meyers, 46). Your families might just realize that they have more in common than you — and they — originally thought!D. ExamplesIndiana teacher Miriam Soto-Pressley invites the parents of her ELLs into her classroom during reading time. The parents follow along with their children and they learn about read-alouds and how to interact with text. This helps them work with their children at home to increase reading comprehension.A group of Latino parents at a preschool center in Florida who frequently sat outside in the sun waiting for their children each afternoon built a parent gazebo for the center, as well as a butterfly garden (Alvarado, 2010).Following the arrival of a new group of students from El Salvador and Puerto Rico to a school in Massachusetts, a group of teachers decided to organize a school play that would be performed in Spanish. They distributed bilingual flyers to tell parents about auditions and asked parents to help with costumes and refreshments (based on earlier conversations they had had with the parents). On opening night, the auditorium was filled, and the school held multiple performances to accommodate parents’ different work schedules. Word soon spread around the community about the play, and the students were invited to perform at other schools. By the final performance, more parent volunteers were participating in the school community than at any other time in the school’s history (Zacarian, 119).12. Think outside the box about parent engagementA. What you need to knowOne of the most important steps in engaging ELL parents is to realize that they may be coming from a very different cultural perspective when it comes to the educational system and their role in their child’s education (Houk, 60). This may be due, in part, to:Deep respect for teachers: Many ELLs come from cultures which revere teaching and where the teachers are considered the experts, not the parents. As a result, parents may be reluctant to ask questions so as not to question the teacher’s authority, or they may assume that the schools don’t want them to “interfere” in their child’s education. Upon arrival in the U.S., newcomer parents may wonder why they are suddenly a school partner, and why in fact the school is asking the parent to do the teacher’s job. As Betty Alford and Mary Catherine Niño note in Leading Academic Achievement for English Language Learners: A Guide for Principals, you wouldn’t expect a doctor to ask the parents which medical procedure they would recommend for their child (80), and ELL parents may feel the same way about what their school is asking them to do.Education vs. educación: These parents are likely to see an entirely different role for themselves in their child’s education (Hori, 40). For Latino families, the idea of educación focuses on a child’s personal and moral development, which has an important impact on the child’s academic development. The authors of Understanding Latino Parental Involvement in Education: Perceptions, Expectations, and Recommendations note that, when asked, ”(Latino) parents believed that monitoring their children’s lives and providing moral guidance resulted in good classroom behavior, which in turn allowed for greater academic learning opportunities (9).“The group vs. the individual: It’s also important to keep in mind that many cultures outside of the U.S. are oriented more towards the group (the family, the class, the society, etc.) than the individual. In their book Managing Diverse Classrooms: How to Build on Students’ Cultural Strengths, Carrie Rothstein-Fisch and Elise Trumbull explore this concept as it relates to the Latino ideas of educación:One’s social behavior in a group (such as the family or the classroom) is of paramount concern; being a respectful contributor to group well-being rather than focusing on one’s own achievement is highly valued. So when immigrant Latino parents come for a parent-teacher conference, their first question is likely to be ”¿Cómo se porta mi hijo/hija?” (“How is my son/daughter behaving?”). A teacher may find it difficult to stifle her consternation after hearing the same question from 25 or 30 sets of parents, believing that all the parents care about is their child’s behavior, when the teacher’s goal is to discuss the child’s academic progress (13-14).Nevertheless, what looks like a lack of interest to the teacher actually reflects a deep interest on the part of the parent in the child’s personal development and how this will affect the child’s ability to be successful in the classroom.B. ReflectionMake a list of five things you hope or expect that “involved” parents will do at your school. What do parents need to know in order to participate in these events? What challenges might ELL parents face in participating in these events?C. StrategiesForm small focus groups with ELL parents and an interpreter. Ask the parents:How they define their role in their child’s educationWhat their concerns, priorities, and hopes are regarding their childWhat kinds of events they would be interested in attendingThe obstacles that discourage them from participating and changes that would helpEvents where being part of a larger group might make them feel more comfortable.D. ExampleCarrie Rothstein-Fisch and Elise Trumbull share the example of a teacher who redesigned her parent-teacher conferences into group conferences for her Latino parents. She divided children by ability levels and met with the parents of children in similar levels at the same time. She also offered both English and Spanish groups. She explained report card formats, grading, her expectations for students, and what parents could do to help. Parents then had the opportunity for a personal consultation after the group discussion. One of the key benefits was that parents’ questions helped each other as they felt confident to speak up in a less threatening environment. She saw all twenty-eight parents in three days (62).13. Consider alternative schedules, locations, and kinds of eventsA. What you need to knowSometimes, when families can’t come to the school, the school has to go to the families. Meeting families in other settings such as community centers or churches can provide an informal way to start building a relationship, especially if ELL parents feel shy or nervous about going to the school. In addition, going into the community indicates a strong level of commitment on the part of the school to the families (Alford & Niño, 86). You might also try planning parent or family events around the schedules of the families, especially if they are working a couple of jobs or shifts.B. ReflectionDo you experience low attendance at family events held at school? Have you ever held any school events in the community? Were they successful? Why or why not?C. StrategiesVisit your students’ neighborhoods. Find out where families are congregating and who local community leaders are that can connect you with parents.Collaborate with apartment complex managers to make a recreation room available for families.Plan events in the community and put them on the school calendar before the school year starts, setting aside funds, such as Title I or Title III grants, to provide support for the events.Consider giving parents a few different options for meeting times based on teacher availability.Consider contacting parents’ employers about parent schedules or holding conferences closer to parents’ workplaces.Don’t limit yourself to meetings. Ask your families what kinds of events they would find enjoyable, beneficial, and convenient.Consider group parent-teacher conferences. Families may feel more comfortable in a group, and it can be an efficient option -- you provide the key information once, and then can have brief conversations with individual parents.D. ExamplesIn Philadelphia, a preschool held a parent meeting in the afternoon for parents who worked in the food service industry in the evening. More than twenty parents (mostly fathers) came to the meeting (Alvarado, 2010) to discuss their children’s preschool program.In Oregon, parent liaison Ma’Lena Wirth wrote a letter to her parents’ employers, sharing her goals for building a stronger partnership with the families and explaining that most parents couldn’t attend conferences due to their work schedule. As a result, the employer agreed to give parents time off for school events if the events started after the employer’s busy season.In New York, Susan Lafond held parent-teacher-translator conferences at the food court where her students’ parents worked so that parents could take turns coming to meet with her.In Colorado, Becky Corr made an appointment at the salon where her student’s father worked with him specifically to talk about the student’s college application.In California, a group of teachers organized a meeting for the school’s Hmong and Cambodian parents (whose people had been farmers for many generations), in which they would discuss the creation of a new school garden. The teachers were disappointed when just a few parents attended the meeting, and they took that as a sign that there was little interest in the garden. On garden day, however, eighty family members arrived with hoes and dug up the garden in a single day. As one of the parents said, “We don’t do meetings. We do gardens” (Ferlazzo, 45).14. Look for the successesA. What you need to knowEncourage your staff to look for all of the different ways, big and small, that ELLs’ families (including parents, siblings, grandparents, and other relatives) support their children’s well-being and education. For example, different relatives may be involved in taking the children to school and picking them up, providing child care, or making sure that they are getting fed and getting a good night’s sleep. While we expect all families to manage these responsibilities, ELL families may be going to extraordinary lengths to meet their children’s basic needs. In addition, older ELLs have a lot of responsibilities in their family, including working, taking care of siblings, and translating for their parents. What looks like laziness, irresponsibility, or absenteeism may in fact be the result of a lot of responsibility at home.Some of the successes and strengths of ELL students and families may include:Commitment to the family’s well-beingHigh expectations for childrenMaking education a priorityRespect for the teacherGood attendance and behaviorWell-developed cooperation skillsA strong sense of responsibility one’s self and othersResourcefulnessNote: ELLs’ parents might be largely absent from the picture, whether it’s because of difficult work schedules or a family separation (or worse) that happened before moving to this country.B. ReflectionWhat is a typical day like for your ELL students? Does that differ from the typical day of your other students? Where are they sleeping? Who is taking care of them? How do they get to school every day? What do they do after school? What challenges are they facing in their daily lives?C. StrategiesLearn what you can about your ELLs’ routines (which will vary tremendously), including the responsibilities they have in their families. Share what you learn with your staff (observing confidentiality rules) and encourage your staff to look for all of the ways, big and small, that ELLs’ families and extended families are supporting their children’s well-being and education.Find out whether these responsibilities are taking a toll on students’ school work or health, and if so, brainstorm some ideas with staff members about possible solutions.D. ExamplesSusan Lafond notes that her elementary ESL teachers had students whose families brought them to the restaurant or family store where they worked so the children wouldn’t be home alone. The kids helped out on the phone or register and did homework until the parents closed for the evening, which was often 9:00 PM or later.Kristina Robertson remembers a 3rd-grade student named Lisbeth. Lisbeth was very conscientious and came to school with neat clothing, clean and braided hair, and notebooks and pencils ready to go. When the staff did home visits, they were welcomed graciously by Lisbeth’s parents to their home. In the apartment for a family with four children, the only furniture consisted of two chairs, a kitchen table, and a mattress. The parents spoke about the importance of their children’s education and explained that every night they had their children do their homework at that kitchen table even though the parents didn’t understand English. The teachers, who had been unaware of the family’s limited circumstances, were incredibly moved by what they saw and developed a new appreciation for the parents’ commitment to their children’s education.Kristina also shares the experience of a 2nd-grade student who was missing school frequently. Kristina soon discovered that she was helping her mom (a single mom) babysit her younger siblings since they didn’t have regular childcare. The staff met with the mom and helped her find resources to provide affordable childcare support.Finally, Kristina remembers her high school students who attended school from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.., and then worked from 4:00 p.m. until midnight. All of their money supported their relatives here and in their home country, so they never had extra money (or time) for special activities. Homework was a struggle, but in Kristina’s eyes, her colleagues’ attitudes were the most difficult challenges to overcome. Once teachers discovered why the students were coming to class so tired and how hard they were working, however, they worked to modify assignments and help the students.< Communicating Important InformationParents as Leaders >