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Getting playful with the English language is a great way to push your students' creativity and show them how useful their knowledge really is.

And the best way to do that is with fun ESL games for the classroom!

There's nothing like a room full of friendly competition and laughter to make learning more fun.

Read on below for 39 ESL group activities that will get your students engaged and practicing their English. We'll also discuss grouping strategies for effective gameplay.

Contents

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ESL Vocabulary and Spelling Games

1. Vocabulary Showcase Game Show

Best for: Big groups; communication

In the Vocabulary Showcase Game Show, students will learn new words through firsthand communication. Students must explain the chosen word to their teammate without saying the word.

All you need is a whiteboard, a timer and a list of vocab words that students already have a fairly good grasp on.

How to play:

Review the vocabulary words if needed or desired.

Divide the class into two teams. Team A will choose their first contestant to start the game.

Student A from Team A will stand with their back to the whiteboard.

The teacher writes a vocabulary word on the board and starts the clock. Two minutes per word is best practice in order to get multiple students involved.

Once the clock starts, Team A will do their best to describe the vocabulary word. They cannot use the word or spell it out.

If Student A guesses the correct word, Team A gets a point.

Switch. Now Team B will send up their first member to guess a new vocabulary word. Same rules apply.

At the end, the team with the most points wins.

2. How's Yours?

Best for: Small groups; beginners

This ESL game will have students guess the object everyone is talking about by asking the eponymous question: "How's yours?"

You don't need anything to play this game, though it may be helpful to have some slightly more challenging words to offer your students if they're struggling as the game leader.

How to play:

Select a student to go first (or ask for a volunteer).

This player is sent into the hall or somewhere out of earshot.

The teacher will be game leader first. Pick a body part, type of clothing, common person or common object and inform your students of the secret word. Possibilities might include: shoes, mouth, car, mother, teacher or ring.

The first player comes back into the room.

The player's goal now is to figure out what the secret word is by asking each student, "How's yours?" Each student should respond in just two or three words. Remind them-no pointing!

Once the first player has an answer from each student, they must guess what the object is. Use points or rewards as desired.

Continue by having the first player become the game leader; a new student will go into the hall and be the guesser.

Tip: Pick the shy students early so they can play more confidently after they've been the guesser.

Example:

The secret word is "teeth."

When the player asks their question ("How's yours?"), students might respond:

3. Fly Swat

Best for: End of the lesson; practicing synonyms/antonyms/homonyms

This fun ESL game is a race to the board! Students will compete to be the first to find the answer and swat it with their fly swatter.

You'll need two fly swatters, PowerPoint and a projector. You can substitute the PowerPoint/projector combo for a simple whiteboard, but just know you'll probably have to do some rewriting throughout the game. It also helps to prepare your questions ahead of time.

How to play:

Feel free to ask the same question more than once (repetition is part of the learning process!).

4. Shiritori Showdown

Best for: Warm ups; quick thinking

The word shiritori is Japanese for "chicken's behind." Each student will use the last letter of the previous word to make a new one. If the timer goes off-you're out!

It can be played in any sized group, and the only thing you need is a timer.

How to play:

Example:

(Teacher sets the timer to 30 seconds.)

Teacher: I'll start. Mois t.

Student 3: Like. Like. Like. Umm...

(Timer beeps. Student 3 is out.)

5. Hangman

Best for: All lesson types

Hangman is an oldie but a goodie. Students must guess the letters of the alphabet to figure out a word or phrase before the hangman's drawing is complete.

All you need is paper and pencils-or just a whiteboard if you want to play as a class. Let students take turns picking the word and drawing the blanks. Encourage using new vocabulary words so they can practice spelling.

(I found the original drawing inappropriate for younger students, so I usually drew my stick figure on the plank of a ship over a sea of monsters. As a bonus, students loved being chosen to draw one of the sea monsters on the board before the game began!)

How to play:

The leader draws the setup and the blanks for the chosen word or phrase.

Students take turns guessing letters of the alphabet to fill in the blanks. Correct guesses are written into place in the blanks. For each incorrect guess, the leader adds one body part of the "hangman" to the drawing.

If the guessers get the correct word first, they win. If the picture of the person is completed first, the leader wins.

Switch out the leader and play again!

For extra fun, watch a video clip first, then play Hangman using only words from the clip. And for extra practice, at the end of each round, ask students to talk about the definition of the uncovered word or try to use it in a sentence.

6. Jeopardy

Best for: Big groups; comprehensive review; critical thinking; speaking skills; teamwork

Jeopardy is another classic English classroom game that helps students build their confidence. You'll set it up just like the TV show: a big board with answers and points, where students will need to provide the missing question.

For Jeopardy, you'll need PowerPoint or an internet connection with an online jeopardy board, plus a projector.

How to play:

Prepare a jeopardy board with questions on the chosen subject matter. You can do this on PowerPoint with a premade template, or use Jeopardy Labs for easy set up.

Assign point values that align with the difficulty of each question to ensure a fair distribution of points. Don't forget to include a "Daily Double" for extra fun!

In class, split the students into even groups of four, five or six. Adjust the number according to the number of students in the classroom. For the ideal playing situation, there should be 4-6 groups.

After the class has been split into groups, the first group chooses a subject and point value.

Read the corresponding question aloud. Anyone in class can raise their hand to answer the question.

The first hand up gets to answer. If they're right, their group receives the points and gets to pick the next question. If they're wrong, subtract the points from that team; another group gets a chance to answer.

The group with the most points at the end of the game wins!

Note: You may want to select a spokesperson for each group to keep chaos to a minimum. Rotate the spokesperson every few turns so everyone gets the opportunity to speak.

7. Backdraw

Best for: Big groups; all lesson types; spelling and vocabulary skills

Backdraw is one of the most popular games in classrooms and works for any level. In this game, the students aren't allowed to talk.

How to play:

8. Sparkle

Best for: Big groups; teambuilding; from beginner to advanced students

This game focuses heavily on spelling and team skills, and it's a great way to cement the difficult words on your vocabulary list.

How to play:

This game can also be made more or less challenging by choosing higher or lower level words. Also, for more advanced students, they can be asked to spell the word backward.

9. Squat

Best for: Beginners; big groups; pronunciation practice

This game is an excellent way to use physical activity in the classroom while also engaging the brain in language learning.

How to play:

This game can be made more challenging by having the teacher speak faster, or having the students say and spell the word.

ESL Listening Games

10. Flash Art

Best for: Creative students; reading comprehension practice

You'll give your students scenarios in English and let them create quick interpretations through drawing. This ESL game offers a break from tough topics and traditional book learning.

For this game, you need plenty of paper and drawing materials like colored pencils, markers or crayons.

How to play:

Note: You may only have time to do one or two Flash Art scenarios per session.

Examples:

11. Find Someone Who...

Best for: Big groups

Students must be quick to listen and comprehend the spoken statement, or they'll end up in the middle where they'll have to come up with the next statement themselves.

The teacher can have a prepared list of "Finds," or students can make up their own in this fun ESL game.

How to play:

Examples:

The possibilities are endless! Students can find someone who:

12. Telephone

Best for: Big groups; speaking skills; pronunciation practice

Telephone is another classic. Students will whisper a given phrase down the line. The last person will announce the likely convoluted sentence to the class for everyone's amusement.

This ESL game is easy to play-no materials needed!

How to play:

To make this game competitive, split the class into two teams and see who gets closest to the original phrase.

13. Song Puzzle

Best for: Small groups; sentence order review; listening practice; speaking skills

Song Puzzle is a fun ESL classroom game that will get your students jamming along to music. You'll play a song while they arrange the lyrics in the proper order.

To set up this game, select an appropriate song (if you have young students, check out this resource for some suggestions). Print a copy of the lyrics for each small group in your class. Cut each one into strips to create a complete set of lyrics for each group.

How to play:

Make sure all your materials are prepared before class begins (the song is printed and cut into strips, and you have enough sets for each group).

Separate students into small groups of two or three. Give each group a complete set of lyric strips.

Play the song. Groups will try to organize the lyrics into the correct order.

Continue replaying the song until a team is done. Check the order of their lyrics.

The first group to organize the lyrics correctly wins.

Continue playing until all groups have figured out the correct order of the lyrics.

Use the lyrics to sing the song aloud as a class!

Depending on the song you choose, you can use the lyrics to teach a specific set of vocabulary or a grammar concept. For example, check out this list of songs with passive voice in the lyrics!

ESL Games for Communication and Teamwork

14. Question Volley

Best for: Big groups; speaking skills

In Question Volley, students will ask and answer questions on the spot to boost their confidence in responding to questions naturally and quickly.

All you need for this fun ESL game is a small ball! For added fun, you can always change up what you're tossing around: a potato, a soccer ball, a frisbee, etc.

How to play:

Make sure to encourage quick questions and answers to give this a real-life feel.

Examples:

If your lesson topic is sports, some questions might be:

For more example questions, try this resource-and check out our dedicated post on ESL movie activities.

15. My Name is X, and I Like X

Best for: Combining with a vocabulary lesson; big groups; speaking skills; memory recall

Students will introduce themselves and something they enjoy. Depending on the level of your class, they may learn introductions, transitive verbs and first- and third-person sentence structures.

You don't need anything for this game, but note that the more randomly you call on students, the more likely they'll pay attention to others' responses instead of counting how many more turns until they have to participate.

How to play:

For beginners:

Sit in a circle with your class.

Introduce yourself using this format: "My name is X, and I like X."
For example: "My name is Mr. Smith, and I like to read."

Have the next student introduce themself using the same format.

Continue until every student has had a turn.

For more advanced students, include memory recall. Ask students to introduce themselves and the previous student. That is: "His/her name is X, and he/she likes X. My name is X, and I like X."

The most advanced way to play this game is to include questions, like so:

16. Reporter

Best for: Listening comprehension; conversation practice; speaking/writing skills

In Reporter, students will ask their partner questions in the form of an interview. You may ask them to present or submit their partner's response in writing.

If you choose to focus on writing practice, you'll need paper and pencils. Otherwise, simply have some sample interview questions prepared to get the class started with this game.

How to play:

You can also turn this into a more elaborate game by assigning the interviews as homework.

In that case, have students present their partners to the class without giving the identity of the partner. The class has to guess who the person is based on the presentation.

17. Secrets

Best for: Quiet/lethargic classes

Students will use questioning skills to work out whose secret they know. Get them moving around the room and chatting with this fun ESL classroom game.

You'll need some slips of paper and something to hold them in-a hat or a small bowl will do nicely.

How to play:

Ask each student to write down a secret on a piece of paper. Check that the secrets are written down correctly, but don't betray students' secrets to their classmates!

Have each student fold their paper and put it in a hat.

Each student will then draw a secret from the hat.

Once each student has a secret, they will walk around the classroom asking other students questions to find out whose secret they have. They can't directly say what's on the paper!

Example:

The secret says, "I have five cats."

The person holding the secret might ask a classmate:

Do you like animals?

How many animals live in your house?

18. Find a Partner

Best for: Big groups; speaking skills; combining with a vocabulary lesson

In this ESL game, you'll give students a category. They'll write their favorite thing in that category on a piece of paper. Then they'll search for someone who wrote the same thing-without actually using any of the words they wrote down!

All you need for this one is some small pieces of paper.

How to play:

To make sure this game is working as intended, the teacher must moderate effectively. Walk the room to ensure students are practicing proper English. Correct them as needed based on topics you've covered in class.

19. What Sweet Treat Am I?

Best for: Beginner and intermediate students; speaking practice

Students will take turns asking questions to figure out what sweet treat they are in this fun ESL classroom game.

For this one, you'll need tape and as many kinds of candy as you have students in class (so, 10 students means 10 different types of candy). Make sure it's candy they're familiar with.

How to play:

Tape a candy wrapper to each student's back.

Put the students in a circle.

Tell students how many questions they can ask before they'll need to make a guess, and decide what will happen if they get it right/wrong (points, guess again, player is out, etc.).

Select someone to go first.

The first player stands up and turns around so everyone can see their candy wrapper.

The player can ask the group yes or no questions to get clues about their candy.

After the set number of questions, the player must guess.

Continue until all sweet treats have been guessed and revealed.

Example:
The standing player might ask some of the following questions:

ESL Speaking Games

20. Who Am I? What Am I?

Best for: Advanced students; practicing asking questions

This is a slightly more advanced version of the "What Sweet Treat Am I?" activity. It can be modified to include writing if you ask the students to create the cards, rather than doing it yourself.
How to play:
For more advanced students, cards can list literary characters, book titles or even idioms. Another option is to keep all of the cards related to one theme, like health words, clothing, colors or even slang.

21. Question Master

Best for: Experienced speakers; creative thinking

Question Master helps your students figure out what to ask in a given situation. Set up the scenario and let them ask away!

All you need for this game is a timer. Any amount of people is good, but note that this ESL game works best with more experienced speakers who are comfortable creating sentences on the fly.

How to play:

Choose a scenario for the class, like at a café, at the airport, or even on a date.

Set the timer. Begin.

Each student must ask a question relevant to the scenario. Encourage creativity with this one!

Continue until the timer goes off. The student is out or the game is over.

Example:

(Teacher sets the timer to a minute and thirty seconds.)

Teacher: Okay, the scenario is at a shop. Go!

Student 1: How much is this?

Student 2: Do you accept credit cards?

22. Time Trials

Best for: Individual students

Instead of racing against others, students are trying to get their own personal best time for English speaking. They're aiming for speed and precision.

While you could do this with an ESL class, it's particularly helpful for individual learners. You'll just need a topic and a timer that starts from zero.

How to play:

Example:

Teacher: Okay, tell me your name, age, where you're from, and what you do. Ready? Go! (Starts timer.)

Student: My name is... (continues talking)

(Teacher stops the timer when the student finishes.)

23. Balloon Truth or Dare

Best for: Outgoing students

This is a slight twist on the classic truth or dare. Inside balloons are truths (personal questions) and dares (silly actions), which students must complete in front of the class.

You'll need balloons (at least enough for each student in the class) and slips of paper, as well as truths and dares. Feel free to adapt statements using vocabulary and grammar suitable for the level you're teaching.

How to play:

A small tip: You may want to start with your more outgoing students. But don't let your shy students be last either-try to call them out around the middle to help manage their anxiety.

Examples:

For some possible dares, you might write:

Do a popular dance.

Sing a class song by yourself.

Pretend like you're riding a horse.

Snore or snort.

And for some possible truths, you might write:

24. Word Warm Ups

Best for: Warm ups; grammar review; creative thinking

In Word Warm Ups, students will attempt to use the given English concept in a sentence before time runs out.

You'll need a timer. If the timer is your phone and you don't want it passed around the room, you'll also need a small ball or another easily passable item.

How to play:

Example:

(Teacher sets the timer to a minute and thirty seconds.)

Teacher: Okay, so sentences using the phrase, "even though." Go!

Student 1: Hmm... I like Canada even though it's very cold.

Student 2: Okay. Even though she's only 30, she's too old for me.

Student 3: Hmm, I... umm. Even though, umm...

(Timer goes off. Student 3 is out.)

25. Mayor (a.k.a. Don't Vote for Me)

Best for: Advanced students; speech-giving practice

Mayor requires both higher English ability and an appreciation of irony. If your class has both, this game may get shy students to take risks and even be a bit silly. Students will run to NOT become mayor.

No materials are needed. Note that you may want to lower the intensity for your shy students by having everyone stand at their desk to speak rather than the front of the classroom.

How to play:
Example:
"I would hate to be mayor. Do not vote for me. I do not like to be around smelly, old citizens. Children are noisy. Who cares about education?"

26. Reading Race

Best for: Reading class; small groups; reading speed; pronunciation practice

This English classroom game will have students race against the clock to finish the reading passage. The key is that they must do so with no mistakes.

You'll need a timer and reading material to play, so this game is especially great if your class has a reading text they're working through.

How to play:

Provide students with the reading passage you want them to practice. Make sure everyone's on the correct page.

Set the time and begin the timer.

Each student will attempt to read the next sentence (or the whole passage) perfectly.

If they mispronounce a word or rush through a sentence, correct them. They must start again from the beginning.

Once they've read the given part with no mistakes, it's the next student's turn.

The student who's reading when the timer goes off is out!

Example:

(Teacher sets the timer to two minutes.)

Teacher: Okay, reading race, page 7. Ready? Go!

Student 1: (Reads passage perfectly)

Student 2: (Reads passage but has an error with pronunciation)

Teacher: (Tells student correct pronunciation) Sorry, reread!

Student 2: (Reads passage perfectly)

Student 3: (Reading but struggling a bit)

(Timer goes off. Student 3 seems to be having some trouble with these games! They're out.)

27. I Took a Trip to the USA

Best for: Big groups; listening skills; memory recall

This speaking game puts an emphasis on listening, focus and memory-building skills while also encouraging students to recall vocabulary.

How to play:

Teach the students the speech they must learn for every turn in the game: "I took a trip to the USA, and with me I took..."

The first student says the sentence, and names an object starting with an "A." For example, "...and with me I took an apple."

The next student must repeat the first word, then add a word that starts with a "B." For example, "...and with me I took an apple and a banana."

Every following student must repeat every word previously said, and add a word starting with the next letter of the alphabet. For example, "...and with me I took an apple, a banana, and a cat."

The game continues until a word cannot be named or a word is forgotten.

This is a very flexible game that can be adapted to any classroom. First, be specific on wanting students to use articles and the word "and" before the last word. Also, you can give the classroom a category to follow, such as asking them to name animals or foods.

ESL Games for Creative Thinking

28. Storytelling Memory Game

Best for: Speaking skills; memory recall; vocabulary building; sentence structure review

Together, the class will tell a story out loud by finishing each others' sentences in this ESL game.

Smaller groups make this game easier, while larger groups will really test students' memories. No materials needed!

How to play:

Begin by sitting in a circle.

The first person (this can be you, but it doesn't have to be) starts the story with a fragment, such as: "It was a dark and stormy night..."

The next person in the circle must repeat what the first person said and add a phrase of their own.

Continue going around the circle until someone messes up. You can start over, prompt them or something else.

In the end, you could have students write down the story. Or write it on a poster board and hang it up in your classroom for students to remember and get a good laugh!

Example:

Teacher: It was a dark and stormy night...

Student 1: It was a dark and stormy night and no one was around.

Student 2: It was a dark and stormy night and no one was around. Suddenly, there was the sound of...

29. Two Truths and a Lie

Best for: The first class; advanced students; speaking/writing skills; conversation practice

In this game, each student will present three statements about themselves-two are true, and one is false. Their classmates must ask questions in order to determine which statement is the lie.

Two Truths and a Lie only requires a whiteboard (or anything you can write on).

How to play:

Ensure the class understands the meaning of both "truth" and "lie."

You'll go first as an example. On the board, write two truths and one lie about yourself.

Tell the class that one of the statements on the board is not true.

Students may ask you non-specific questions about what you wrote. You may want to give a question limit to raise the stakes of the game.

Once the questioning is over, students will write down which statement they believe to be the lie.

You can ask them to share their guesses and why they came to that conclusion.

Reveal the lie!

Select a student to take your place. The game repeats until everyone has had a turn.

Example:

One statement says: "I enjoy running every morning."

Students may ask things like:

What kind of running shoes do you have?

What time do you begin your run?

30. Funny Papers

Best for: Writing practice; collaboration; pair or small group play

Funny Papers is a fun ESL game where students are asked to fill in the blank speech bubbles of a comic strip.

Using the Sunday funny papers or some blank comic strips online, white out the text of each character's speech bubbles or dialogue boxes. Make enough copies for your class.

How to play:

31. Dictionary

Best for: Any level; speaking skills; writing skills

If you know the game Balderdash, you'll recognize Dictionary. One team member will lead the way. Players will guess the definition of a difficult word, and a judge will decide their favorite answer. In the end, someone wins a treat!

You'll need dictionaries or vocabulary lists (with definitions) for this game. You'll also need sticky notes for each group and some prize candy.

How to play:

Split the class into groups of five or six students.

Give each group a packet of sticky notes and a dictionary/vocab list.

For each group, select a leader and a judge. (Tip: Try picking the shyest students to steer the groups first.)

The leader finds a word in the dictionary/on the list that they do not believe anyone else knows. The leader writes the correct definition of the word on the sticky note.

The leader spells the word out loud, and everyone except the judge writes it down on their own sticky note.

Everyone except the leader and judge will now make up their own definition of the word and write it on their sticky note as well. The students can come up with a silly definition, try to guess the correct definition or try to fool the judge with something that sounds convincing.

The leader collects the definitions and gives them to the judge.

The judge reads each definition out loud. (If your judge has a flair for the dramatic, all the better!)

After reading all the definitions, the judge decides which one they like best. The player who wrote it gets a piece of candy.

The roles switch. The judge becomes the leader and a new judge is selected.

Keep playing until every student has had a chance to be both the judge and the leader.

Example:

The leader picks the word "sundry." She spells it out for the players.

The leader writes the correct definition on her note ("miscellaneous").

One player thinks about the literal meaning and writes: "wet clothes left outside."

Another player guesses: "popcorn."

Another player decides to be silly and writes: "lying to your teacher."

The leader mixes up the definitions and hands them to the judge. The judge reads each definition out loud, and everyone has a good laugh.

The judge decides she likes the "wet clothes left outside" definition. The player who wrote this gets the candy and then the leader explains that the correct definition is "miscellaneous."

32. Oral Storytelling

Best for: Listening comprehension; speaking practice

Students have to be able to follow along with the story, listening closely to what the people before them just said, and they have to think critically to build a correct sentence of their own.

For beginning ESL students, consider speaking sentences out loud yourself and asking them to add one word at a time. They could even draw or hold up pictures to add to the story.
How to play:

Have students sit in a circle. Begin telling a story by speaking one sentence aloud.

The student on your left should add to the story by speaking a second sentence aloud.

The student to his or her left should speak the next sentence aloud, and so on.

Keep the story going around the circle one sentence at a time until it comes to a logical conclusion.

Remind students that each sentence should build on the one before it.

It's easy for students to add in something offbeat or random to try to be silly, but the goal of this lesson is to create a logical story. One way to keep the story on track might be to record it.

33. Written Storytelling

Best for: Working as a team; writing practice

This is a bit like a word association game, but requires that the students expand on that to create a story.

For more advanced students, consider assigning topics that require students to discuss customs or cultural norms, like privacy, personal space, hygiene or dining.
How to play:
Both the written storytelling and the small group discussion that follows are valuable practice time. Together, they'll help students practice written and spoken English in one swoop.

ESL Grammar Games

34. Would You Rather

Best for: Making learning conditionals fun and and lively

This classic sleepover and bus trip game, ideal for getting participants to know more about each other, can be a perfect giggle-inducing grammar game to reinforce recent lessons. The game is simple enough, driven by straightforward questions and answers.

The main use for this game in the ESL classroom is to practice using conditionals and discussing hypothetical situations ( would you):

Would you rather get stung by a bee or bit by a spider?

Would you rather dance in front of ten thousand people or in front of the President of the United States?
How to Play:
Example: "Sara, how many of your classmates would rather dance in front of the President of the United States?" Then this student must tell you how many people chose this option in her group or in the class.

35. Conjugation Pyramid

Best for: Learning verb conjugations

Similar to blackboard race, the conjugation pyramid is a race-to-win classic that is beloved by language students everywhere. Set this one up for the very end of class when there are a few minutes remaining-this will really get the pressure cooking.
How to play:
36. Tic-Tac-Toe

Best for: Learning parts of speech
How to play:
37. Shootin' Hoops

Best for: Getting students physical as they reinforce grammar lessons

Go down to the school's gymnasium, playground or set up a makeshift basketball hoop in the classroom. You can manage this without damaging school property by simply setting up a hula hoop or other plastic ring as the "hoop" and by playing with a small inflatable or foam ball.
How to play:

Break the students into two groups or have them play individually against the rest of their classmates.

There are two ways to go about playing this one. Before being allowed to take a shot, each student must either:

Answer a question with the appropriate featured grammar pattern.

Create a basic statement using the featured grammar pattern.

If the student gets their answer or statement wrong or doesn't phrase it properly, they won't get to take a shot.

If the student passes this part of the game, they get to take a shot. If they score, they get 2 points. If they don't score but got the question right, they get 1 point.

38. Hot Potato

Best for: Encouraging quick thinking about grammar points
How to play:
Example: Tell students learning the present tense that they must each say one verb conjugated in the present tense, using first person singular or "I form." Each student will then have to say something like, "I run," "I dance" or "I cry." The ball gets passed around and around, with students being eliminated whenever they draw blanks or conjugate their verbs wrong.

For easier games, give each student 6-8 seconds. For harder, faster paced games, give students 2-3 seconds. You can also start slower and gradually increase the pace of the game as it progresses.

39. Word Chain

Best for: Thinking quickly and creatively
How to play:
4 Ways to Group Your Students

You've got your pockets full of group ideas that work in class. But believe it or not, how you group your students might be more important than the actual activities you do.

But what's the secret to grouping students the right way?

Here are four ways you can put your students together and why you might choose to group them each particular way.

Group by Varying Skill Levels

Did you know that even native speakers change the way they talk based on who they're talking to and that person's language use? It's part of the feedback mechanism of the brain and why you might acquire a bit of a Southern accent when talking to your friend from Alabama or why you might start dropping final g's if you hang out in New York for any length of time.

Because when you group lower level students with higher level students, they'll automatically and subconsciously improve their English usage just by hearing and talking to more advanced students. Crazy, isn't it?

While a more advanced student will likely speak more like their lower level student partner, too, they aren't losing out on the deal. We learn more when we teach. And when you group advanced students with lower level students, they'll learn by teaching the other members of their group even if they don't realize what's happening. If you have a mixed level class, don't despair. Your students can learn as much from each other as they do from you when they're in these types of groups.

Group by Same Skill Level

While students can learn a lot by working with classmates at different language skill levels, that isn't always the way you want to partner up your students. Sometimes mixed level groups can be dominated by advanced speakers and beginning students can get lost in the mix.

Not so when your groups are selected for their similar language proficiency.

In a group of all beginners, someone will have to speak up, and that means your lower level students will be talking more in class. In your group of all advanced students, everyone may want to drive the conversation. That means the members of that group will have to work on their discourse skills like taking turns speaking and using active listening. If you have students who dominate the conversation in class, this might be the right type of group for you.

Group by Same First Language

Have you ever heard that grouping students with others who speak the same first language is taboo? Forget about it. Your students will actually be able to help each other in very unique ways when they're grouped with others that speak the same first language.

More advanced students understand the specific language struggles faced by beginning students and can help them through struggles that they themselves have already overcome. Your advanced students can also explain using their native language which is a great advantage when you've tried everything to communicate to your students and they still aren't getting what you're trying to say.

Grouping by the same first language is also an advantage when you're discussing some sensitive topics, those that might hit a cultural hot button. While not every speaker of a language comes from the same culture, many do, and if you're afraid of cultural flare-ups because of a certain topic, try grouping your students this way to minimize the drama that might otherwise come up.

Group by Different First Languages

Have I convinced you that grouping by the same native language is a good thing? Well, stop it. At least sometimes. Because mixed L1 groups are useful to students in other ways. When all the members of a group speak different first languages, they'll all be forced to speak English in order to work together.

This is particularly useful if you have students that just won't speak in English because they always have the chance to speak their first language. A mixed L1 group also gives your students the chance to experience different accents in English and as a result improve their listening skills. Culture can also come into play in these groups. By talking with people from different areas of the world, your students can develop a better appreciation for each other and their home cultures. It's a great way to learn about people around the globe along with their traditions.

Why ESL Games Are an Essential Part of the Classroom

ESL games are as versatile as they are fun! They're also a super important part of your lesson plans. Here's why:

They're invaluable for building on your presentation (the first part of your PPP lesson plan).

They'll help your students cultivate essential skills, both directly and organically.

They'll often get your students up and moving, which helps get the brain working.

They'll help your students internalize grammar and vocabulary through usage.

They'll aid the development of students' English listening, reading, speaking, writing and thinking skills.

They'll improve your students' communication, collaboration skills and confidence.

They're usually active-great for both classes that need somewhere to direct their energy and classes that need to kick it up a notch.

They can be used at any time during class: as a beginning warm-up, as an end-of-class time-filler or in the middle as the bulk of your lesson.

Games can be implemented alongside any other teaching tools as well.

They're useful during difficult or frustrating lessons to supplement traditional book learning time. They can also be used in conjunction with videos to keep your classes engaged from start to finish.

For level-appropriate videos with helpful tools, the FluentU language learning program uses authentic clips made by native speakers to teach your students English.

The clips are organized by content and level, so you can ensure they're the right amount of challenging for your class. The videos also have interactive subtitles, so students can hover over a word to see its definition or click on it for more information, including example sentences and contextual notes.

As the teacher, you can assign FluentU videos for homework, track student progress and create vocabulary lists for students to review with the digital flashcard feature. Then in class, you can practice the vocabulary together using one of the games listed above.

Working some fun ESL classroom games into your lesson plans every week creates an atmosphere of enthusiastic learning. Your students will have a blast while working on their English skills!

From artistic creativity to comedic scenarios, your students can experience English in a whole new way through these games. Even grammar can be exciting with games!

So, get started with these fun ESL games and bring learning to life!

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

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39 Fun ESL Games and Activities for an Exciting English Classroom | FluentU English Educator Blog

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Use some fun ESL group activities to liven up your lessons! Choose from our list of 39 games, from classics like Hangman and Telephone, or new ones like Fly Swat and Secrets. Either way, your students will love these ESL activities for the classroom and learn important English skills at the same time.

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ESL Beginner and Elementary Online Games and Activities

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ESL Beginner and Elementary Online Games and Activities for grammar and vocabulary learning

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Want students to remember something? Ask them to draw it.

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How to Write Language Objectives: Tips for ELL Educators

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English-language learners (ELLs) come into our classrooms with a wide variety of specific and unique needs for language acquisition. It's hard to talk about them all as one group -- ELLs represent a diverse range of students in every sense. It's needless to say: Working with ELLs is often challenging and also highly rewarding.

Because there are so many apps and edtech tools available today, you might expect to find lots of them made specifically for English language development (ELD), bilingual, or dual-immersion classrooms. Unfortunately, this isn't the case: Tools designed specifically for English-language learners are few and far between (though there are definitely some out there).

There are, nevertheless, a lot of great edtech tools and strategies you can use with your ELLs, even if the tools themselves aren't ELL-specific. Some might even be tools you've already heard of or used -- with an ELL-specific use case that's been hiding in plain sight.

So, what's the best way to find and use great digital tools with your ELLs? A lot will depend on your students' specific needs, but here are a few things to think about when finding the best tools for your classroom.

1. Look for ELL-friendly supports in the tools you're already using.

Lots of online tools have built-in features to support differentiated instruction for a variety of learners. Newsela offers texts at five variable Lexile levels, many in both English and Spanish. ThinkCERCA offers leveled texts with scaffolding for students reading at different levels, including audio versions of texts. Though ELA-focused tools are most likely to have the best English-learning supports, plenty of other tools support ELLs' learning in other subject areas. Khan Academy is one popular example; the site offers a translated version of its curriculum in 12 languages. As you search, keep in mind that these tools are usually aimed at a more general student audience, so they may be better suited to intermediate or advanced ELLs, and beginning-level ELLs may need more robust support.

2. Build basic online resources and productivity tools into daily routines.

From basic translation to productivity tools for consumers, a lot of everyday apps and websites can be great for supporting ELL-centered learning activities. A note-taking tool with recording features like Microsoft OneNote offers opportunities for speaking and listening practice. Simple English Wikipedia is just like it sounds: an adapted version of the standard Wikipedia site but for ELLs, younger students, or anyone else who might struggle with reading. A translation tool is an obvious choice, and Google Translate is generally thought to be the most accessible free option around.

3. Get creative and repurpose a digital-storytelling tool.

Storytelling is an excellent, interactive learning activity for ELLs and bilingual learners of all ages and language abilities. Even though these apps tend to be aimed at younger kids (and not specifically at ELLs), they still offer opportunities for kids to express themselves while they build new language skills. Don't be afraid to age these tools up; they're great even for older ELLs. And for beginning-level English-language learners, creative projects tend to offer opportunities for low-stakes (yet still high-concept) communication-based activities. Also, keep in mind that lots of other digital-creation mediums can offer fun language-building practice, from video production to podcasting and digital design. Find something that suits your students' ages, language abilities, and interests.

4. Find tools that specifically address your ELLs' needs.

As mentioned earlier, tools designed only for ELLs are somewhat scarce, but there are definitely some options. These ELL-centric tools run the gamut. BrainPOP ELL offers a comprehensive online curriculum aimed at improving kids' language skills from beginning to advanced levels. Read&Write is a helpful text-to-speech app for students with a variety of literacy needs, including English-language learners. On the flip side, a platform like Ellevation is designed for teachers and uses robust data to track and monitor students' progress and language growth. As time goes on, we're bound to see more edtech solutions specifically for ELLs. It will be interesting to see what the future holds in this space.

5. Supplement instruction with an online language-learning tool.

Language-learning tools for travelers and consumers are everywhere and easy to find. Although these tools should never replace quality classroom instruction, for some students they could be a helpful option for extra practice or out-of-class enrichment. Because they're often aimed at a general -- mostly adult -- audience, these won't all be the best choice for kids' learning. Nevertheless, in certain situations, some language-learning apps could be appropriate depending on your students' needs. If you do go this route, look for free options that offer adaptive features that challenge students as their language skills grow. If recommending out-of-class use, keep your students' devices and level of network access in mind.

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How to Use Technology to Support ELLs in Your Classroom | Common Sense Education

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Quality edtech for ELLs isn't easy to find, but great options do exist.

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Activating Prior Knowledge for ELLs: 7 Activities to Make Learning Meaningful | Continental Educational Publisher

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Learn about the importance of activating prior knowledge, tips for building background knowledge, and examples of schema-building activities.

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Free ESL Printable Grammar and Vocabulary Worksheets, English Exercises, EAL Handouts, ESOL Quizzes, EFL Activities, TEFL Questions, TESOL Materials, English Teaching and Learning Resources, Fun Crossword and Word Search Puzzles, Tests, Picture Dictionaries, Classroom Posters, Matching Exercises and Flashcards For Kids

ESL Printable Grammar Worksheets and Exercises for Kids

Grammar is the ways that words can be put together in order to make sentences. Obeying the rules of grammar helps improve your English accuracy. Here in our grammar section you can find, view, download and print English Grammar Worksheets, Fun ESL Exercises, Tests, Multiple Choice Questions, Reading Comprehension Questions, Dialogues, Gap Fill Exercises, Word Order Exercises, Conjugation Activities, Speaking Cards, Writing Exercises, Word Lists, Classroom Posters, Handouts, Quizzes, English Language Learning Resources for kids, teenagers, adults, parents and teachers.

ESL Printable Vocabulary Worksheets and Exercises for Kids

Englishwsheets.com provides free esl printable pdf worksheets for you. ESL Printable Vocabulary Worksheets, Picture Dictionaries, Matching Exercises, Word Search Puzzles, Crossword Puzzles, Missing Letters in Words and Unscramble the Words Exercises, Multiple Choice Tests, Flashcards, Vocabulary Learning Cards, ESL Fidget Spinner and Dominoes Games, English Language Learning Resources for kids, teenagers, adults, parents and teachers.

ESL Printable Fairy Tales Reading Comprehension Worksheets and Exercises

Reading fairy tales is important for a student's imagination and improves reading comprehension in a fun way. Here in our reading section you can find, view, download and print Fairy Tales Reading Comprehension Worksheets and Exercises, Fairy Tales Reading Texts, Reading Comprehension Questions, True False Questions, Sequencing the Story Exercises and Gap Fill Exercises English Language Learning Resources for kids, teenagers, adults, parents and teachers.

ESL Printable Flashcards and Game Cards for Kids

Using flashcards and game cards is of vital importance for teaching vocabulary at every stage of the class. Flashcards are an excellent way to present, practise and review vocabulary. When teachers use flashcards in classroom activities, the students are more likely to have more fun and they can memorize the new words more easily. We provide esl printable flashcards both with words and without words, Vocabulary Learning Cards and Dominoes Games.

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ESL Worksheets, English Exercises, Printable Grammar, Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension Exercises, Flashcards, Vocabulary Learning Cards and Games For Kids

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Growing up in a bilingual household, Spanish and English were intertwined. We'd eat dinner a la mesa [at the table], and afterward, I'd play with my mu ñ ecas [dolls]. So, when a 5-year-old me stepped into my kindergarten classroom as a multilingual learner, I was met with words in English that I had never heard of before. I'd swap back and forth between languages when trying to write a story, figure out a math problem, and even express when I had to sharpen my pencil. Luckily, my teacher found ways to help me visualize, make connections, and build vocabulary using graphic organizers.

Graphic organizers are great tools to help English language learners-and all students-construct deeper understanding and map information. Learn how to use graphic organizers to guide ELL students in writing, comprehension, and more.

A note on language: we employ the common phrases multilingual learner, English learner, and English language learner, along with the acronym ELL, but we also recognize that this is imperfect nomenclature. Students who are learning English do not fit neatly into a single label.

Benefits of Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers are visual learning tools to organize ideas. They can also serve as scaffolding tools when teaching reading comprehension skills (like identifying the main idea) or leading a research or brainstorming session. Graphic organizers break down how we process information and make complex concepts more comprehensible for students.

Graphic organizers can be easily modified to differentiate instruction for multilingual learners. For example, students can be asked to illustrate what they understand along with their writing. Graphic organizers can also help students in oral language practice. Use graphic organizers during small-group activities, and allow English language learners to work collaboratively and share their ideas with their peers.

Word Map: Vocabulary Graphic Organizer for ELL Students

Graphic organizers can be particularly helpful for English language learners when learning new vocabulary as they allow students to illustrate new terms and make connections between words.

Word maps help ELL students develop their understanding of words. In a word map, students can think about words in different ways, identifying synonyms and antonyms. Students can also create a visual representation of the term and define vocabulary in their own words. This tool can be used across subject areas to build academic vocabulary.

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Find a collection of graphic organizer to help ELL students build vocabulary, compare and contrast, and activate prior knowledge.

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Do you want to know how to write language objectives? Download the Language Objective Guide to use the graphic organizer with this process. This guide will walk you through how to write language objectives step-by-step. You may be thinking what is a language objective? You might not be sure about content objectives. Teacher talk can get a little overwhelming. I know when I first started I had no idea what all these words mean. Here is a list of commonly used words with their definitions.

A content objective tells the student what they will be learning during the lesson. For example, I can analyze the connections and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events in a text. A language objective tells how the students will learn and/or demonstrate their learning through the four domains of language. The four domains of language are reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Here is an example of a language objective: I can write the connections between events in a text.

If you were anything like me, I was confused on how to write language objectives. Here is a step by step process of how to write a language objective. Remember to ask yourself "How will the students show me through reading, listening, speaking, and writing that they understand the content objective?" Below is a video that I made that explains in detail how to write a language objective.

1. Identify the content objective. What do you want the students to learn from the lesson?

2. Think about where your students are in their language learning process. Even in mainstream classrooms where are you students in regards to the four domains of language.

3. Identify the domain that you are asking students to do in the lesson. For example, there is a lesson where the students will be presenting to the class. The domain you are asking them to demonstrate their understanding would be speaking.

Now that you have gathered the information above here is how you write the language objective:

Sample Language Objective (Writing): I can summarize " Little Red Riding Hood" using sentence frames with a partner.

1. Download the Language Objective Guide to use the graphic organizer with this process.

2. Looking at the chart identify the language domain you will be using in class (Listening, Reading, Speaking, and/or Writing)

3. Find the action verb that you will be using. The action verbs vary based on Bloom's Taxonomy. Use the chart in this document to help you in deciding on the action verb.

4. What is the topic of the lesson?

5. Include any scaffolds/supports you will have for the students. A scaffold is teacher added supports for the students so they can master the objective of the lesson.

Take a sneak peak into the Language Objective Guide below!

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Language Objectives: A Step by Step Guide - My Adventures in ESL

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Do you want to know how to write language objectives? Download the Language Objective Guide to use the graphic organizer with this process. This guide will walk you through how to write language objectives step-by-step. You may be thinking what is a language objective? You might not be sure about content objectives.

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

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

what a language objective is

steps that teachers can take to create language objectives

how to implement language objectives in a general education classroom

how to align objectives to content and language standards

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

how to use language objectives in distance learning environments.

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

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

Teaching content to ELs: The challenge

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

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

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

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

Teaching content to ELs: The solution

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

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

To this end, language objectives:

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

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

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

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Writing Language Objectives

Interview with Dr. Jennifer Himmel

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

What is a language objective?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aligning Language Objectives and Standards

English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards

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

English Language Arts (ELA) standards

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

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

Getting Started

How can I get started?

Careful lesson planning

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

Collaboration

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

List

Retell

Summarize in writing

Record

Read

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

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

When should I share language objectives with students?

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

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

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

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

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

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Using language objectives in a distance learning environment

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

Accordingly, teachers will need to think through how to:

Presenting language objectives

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

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

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

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

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

Monitoring student understanding and engagement

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

Using comprehension checks and assessing progress

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

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

tickets out that are submitted digitally

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

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

Next Steps

How can I learn more?

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

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

Practices that focus on explicit academic language teaching include:

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

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Final Thoughts

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

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

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Recommended Resources

Further reading

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video Clips: Language Objectives

How to Write Language Objectives: Tips for ELL Educators

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

Dr. Cynthia Lundgren explains language objectives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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These apps and websites can help teachers boost their productivity, personalize learning, and create lesson content.

Over the past five years, I've explored ways to integrate AI into my teaching practice-even before ChatGPT and other generative AI became some of the most talked-about topics in education. Every educator needs to learn about AI and how we can leverage this technology to benefit our students and enhance our own work. To best provide for our students, we need to understand how this technology will impact them and us. What better way than to explore new tools via AI in our teaching practice?

Why Educators Need to Understand AI Tools

Our roles as educators have continued to change over the years. With technology comes a bit of hesitancy, especially with something as powerful as AI. In our schools, we have to provide opportunities for students to learn about changing technology because of the impact it may have on their future. Not only can AI tools enhance creativity and productivity, but also they can provide educators with valuable insights into student learning and assist with some of the time-consuming tasks that educators have.

Even with all of the promises of AI, it is important that we take time to talk about artificial intelligence in our classrooms. Not only do we teach the content, but we serve as mentors, facilitators of learning and co-learners with our students, especially as we embrace these emerging powerful technologies. It's important that we help our students learn about the benefits of them and also show how to use these tools properly, responsibly, and ethically.

How AI Can Improve A Teacher's Job

Personalized learning: Educators can provide tailored learning experiences based on AI-driven analytics that provide valuable insights into student performance and learning trends. Using this data, AI can instantly adapt student learning materials. Teachers can then use this information to provide personalized learning experiences, adapting to each student's strengths, weaknesses, and learning pace.

Productivity and efficiency: Greater efficiency comes with AI as well. Educators are responsible for a variety of clerical tasks, such as communicating with students and their families, grading assessments, and providing feedback. Educators may find they spend more time on these clerical tasks rather than on teaching and working directly with students. The right AI tools can help to automate or streamline these tasks, which allows teachers to have additional time with their students.

Creating and supplementing content: Through AI-powered platforms, teachers can curate a range of educational resources. With generative AI in particular, teachers are able to create lessons, activities, assessments, prompts for discussion, and presentations simply by providing a short prompt with keywords.

7 education Tools that work

Here are seven AI-powered tools that will help teachers with personalized learning that enables them to become more efficient and save time that can then be spent with students. I have used each of these for my own personal writing and creating of presentations, and the amount of time they save by generating the slides alone helps me to focus more closely on the content. I also appreciate that the tools offer translation options and a variety of templates and other resources that are commonly used by educators.

The recently released Teaching with AI guide for teachers was created to help educators use ChatGPT in their classroom. The guide comes with several suggested prompts and includes explanations that clarify exactly how ChatGPT works and what its limitations are, and it provides reminders of the importance of verifying information and checking for bias. With ChatGPT 4, which is a paid version, there is greater accuracy and reliability of information than with the original version.

Creating and sharing these resources with our students leads to rich conversations about the benefits of AI and proper use of this technology for creating and learning. There are many more tools available for teachers to explore that can help with each of the key areas that I mentioned. Most important is selecting a tool to start with and reflecting on how it impacted your practice.

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7 AI Tools That Help Teachers Work More Efficiently

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These apps and websites can help teachers boost their productivity, personalize learning, and create lesson content.

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Once upon a time, I tried to read Like Water, for Chocolate, by Laura Esquivel in Spanish. I had seen and enjoyed the movie in English, and since I'm a fairly fluent Spanish speaker, I thought it would be a fun challenge. I think I "read" three pages. I say "read" because I read the words, but I probably understood about 20% of what I'd read. My reading was frustrating and slow, and even though I was familiar with the story, I was only able to pick out some of the details related to the characters and storyline.

I returned the book to the library and checked out a book written in Spanish that was more comprehensible to me - a romance novel by Danielle Steele. This time, although I didn't know the story or characters, I understood 90% of the Spanish, could follow the basic dialogue, and knew the formula of romance text structure. This was a lot more fun. I felt challenged reading the Spanish, and I could still enjoy the story.

I believe that my experiences were very similar to what many ELL students experience. Our challenge is to help ELL students discover books and materials that are interesting and at a readability level that allows them to enjoy reading while exposing them to new vocabulary and making sure that they don't become too frustrated.

Stephen Krashen has done a lot of research on libraries; one idea that he likes to emphasize is that it's not how many books are in the library - it's how many "readable" and interesting books are in the library (see the research report in Hotlinks). His premise makes a lot of sense. The only way to improve reading skills is to do a lot of reading, and most people will only do a lot of reading if they enjoy it. For many of our students, however, they don't have access to enough materials at their reading level to motivate them to read a lot. Krashen encourages educators and librarians to help children find what Trelease (2001) calls a "home run" book (see article in Hotlinks). A home run book is the first book that a child reads that really excites and motivates him/her. It is the book that makes the child want more. My home run book was The Boxcar Children, and I went on to read the whole series. For children today it may be the Goosebumps or The Magic Tree House series.

Researcher G.R. Carlson outlined five stages of reading appreciation in a 1974 report:

1. reading for enjoyment

2. reading for vicarious experience

3. reading to find yourself

4. reading to understand issues

5. reading for aesthetic appreciation

Many ELL students are required to begin their reading experience with stage four - reading to understand, or reading academic content information. They struggle with literacy, language, and content. They may experience reading as a frustrating struggle that doesn't give them much information or enjoyment. If they have access to readable materials in their interest area, and they are allowed to read for enjoyment, however, they will be more likely to read independently. And if they understand 80% of what they read, they will be able to build their vocabulary as they encounter new words.

The question is - how to get them reading? There are a variety of strategies educators can use to help motivate ELL readers.

Interest

Start by finding out what students are interested in. You may gain a lot of insight from your day-to-day interaction with students and by observing symbols and pictures on their clothing or notebooks. If you want to try a more formal survey of student interests, there are reading inventories (see Hotlinks) that may work with some students. Small groups of students can also discuss key questions.

1. What is something that you think is fun?

2. Talk about a movie you liked.

3. What kind of music do you like? Who are some of the artists?

4. Do you like to read? Why?

5. What is something you read that you liked?

For very beginning students you may simply ask them to draw a picture of something they like. If it is a picture of flowers, their family, or a dragon, it still may tell you something about what interests them and makes them happy. In my experience with focus groups on the literacy development of ELL students in high school, we interviewed many small groups of ELL students, and found books about the subjects relating to their interests.

Readable Materials

Once you know what interests a student, the next challenge is to find a book at the student's reading level. Many schools determine student reading level by DRA or Lexile reading scores, and they have leveled libraries available in the media center. There are also book series that level books by the number of different vocabulary words used in the story. For example, you may have a story about Cinderella with 300 unique words and a story about Cinderella with 600 unique words - they both tell the same story, but the first story would be more comprehensible to a beginning-level English speaker (see Hotlinks for leveled reader resources).

Other sources of regular comprehensible input include:

The current events series News for You - this series is written at a beginning to intermediate English level and covers weekly news headlines. The series also comes with a teacher's guide and activities.

Comic books or graphic novels - they have a lot of visual support, an enjoyable story, and in many cases the language, although presented in short sentences, contains challenging vocabulary. With the popularity of Manga there are probably some students who would enjoy this option.

For more ideas on high-low reading resources, please visit the Hotlinks section.

Spark Their Interest

Pre-reading activities are very important in activating student interest and background knowledge before reading. This example highlights why this is such an important step: A fifth-grade teacher was teaching her class about the American Revolution, and before the students opened the textbook, the teacher introduced vocabulary in an engaging way. She put up signs such as "England" and "British" on one side of the room and "America" and "Colonists" on the other side. She had a "red coat," a blue swatch of cloth down the center of the room for the ocean, a king's crown, a box of tea, fake money (Colonial notes), and tax declarations. She enlisted the students' help in acting out the events that led to the Revolution. As the king kept sending more tax declarations over to the Colonists, they were increasingly agitated at how "unfair" it was. The teacher kept checking in to ask what the Colonists wanted to do. They finally came to the verge of revolution. As the class ended, the students were told they would read about this tomorrow. As they left the room, one student stopped and asked urgently, "But who won?"

It can also be helpful to show a movie on a topic before reading so that students are familiar with the content or story before tackling the reading. Many teachers save the movie for a treat after the reading and discussions have been completed, but ELL students can benefit from making connections back to the movie while they read the story. Remember, however, that the film version of the book should be seen as a complement rather than a substitute.

It is also important to expose students to a variety of literature by reading to them regularly. This works with all ages, and adolescents may particularly enjoy this because they are not read to often. Having audio books available is also an excellent resource, especially in conjunction with reading a book.

Help Students Know What to do with Unknown Words

Students will come across unknown words while reading. Some of these words may just be figurative and not imperative to comprehension, but some may be key vocabulary words. Students can develop strategies for handling unknown vocabulary and reducing interruptions to their reading. The temptation is to stop and look up each word. Teachers can demonstrate how students can determine the importance of the unknown word through structural clues. If the word is in a string of commas, it may be a descriptive word that is not necessary for comprehension. However, if it is a noun - especially a repeated noun - students may want to spend time figuring it out.

Teaching students how to use context clues can also be a valuable tool for reading comprehension. Demonstrate how context clues can help students "guess" the meaning. For example:

The stout man had difficulty sitting in the chair because of his size.
Why would the man have difficulty sitting in a chair? He's either very big or very small. Which choice makes more sense in this sentence? What do other sentences lead the reader to believe?

In some instances, students may be able to use their own language as a resource in figuring out the meaning of an unknown English word. Take a look at this example:

He wasn't very happy as a mortician. Many people felt uncomfortable around him after he told them what he did for a living. Most people associated morticians with tragic circumstances.

The Spanish word for "to die" is " morir." This comes from the same Latin root as the English word "mortician." Some instruction on prefixes and suffixes can help students understand that "ian" means "of, or related to." Spanish-speaking students can guess a mortician is "one who does something with death." They will be able to make the connection with the job of preparing a dead body for a funeral if they are familiar with this from their own culture, even if the words aren't direct cognates.

Of course this strategy only works for students who speak a language that shares cognates with English, and students can also ask a friend for the meaning of a word or look it up themselves in a dictionary. The objective, though, is that students who learn strategies for attacking unknown words gain confidence in moving through text without having to stop for every unknown word, which may ultimately enhance their enjoyment of reading.

Interaction

What makes a fun movie even more enjoyable? Talking about it with your friends afterwards. ELL students can learn that the same is true about reading. Set up book groups or literature groups, and begin with guided questions such as, "Describe your favorite character and why you like him/her. What does this story remind you of?" or "Describe an interesting event. Explain why you think someone should or shouldn't read this story."

I recommend that you make this kind of activity as fun as possible for the students. Set up a book club or "café" with snacks and beverages, and have the group meet in a comfortable place if possible. This is an opportunity for students to be an expert and to be influenced by peers who have enjoyed a different book.

Part of the job of teaching ELLs to read is to expose them to the "culture of reading." Experienced, fluent readers know that if they start a book and don't find it interesting or enjoyable, it just means they don't like the story - not that they don't like reading in general. Experienced readers have learned through many reading experiences the kind of material they are likely to enjoy, and they can be easily motivated to pick up a book and read.

Beginning readers, on the other hand, may interpret a boring or frustrating book as "not liking to read." Educators are in a unique position to help ELL students experience a variety of genres and literature at their reading level. If students learn to love reading, then they will do it more often and eventually become fluent readers in English who will be able to continually gain vocabulary and concepts from what they read. Everything you do to provide them with a wide variety of materials at lower English levels is worth the effort. The "love of reading" is a precious gift your students will enjoy for a lifetime.

Scholastic News English/Español is a classroom magazine available by subscription with a flip-format that lets students read the same content in both English and Spanish. The magazine connects its topics to Latino cultures and offers family activities that can be sent home.

The DC Public Library offers suggested booklists for teens sorted by different categories, such as graphic novels, humor, faith, and fantasy.

Girls of Summer is a celebration of summer, girls, and books co-designed by author Meg Medina and fellow Candlewick author Gigi Amateau. The project reviews 18 titles for strong girls (picture book, middle grade and YA). The blog also features giveaways and weekly Q & As with selected authors.

AdLit: Books & Authors is a part of AdLit.org, WETA's Adolescent Literacy Web site. Books & Authors offers themed booklists for young adults, exclusive author video interviews, and guided discussions for specific books.

This website allows New York Public Library users to browse the system's free online collection of audiobooks, e-books, video, and more. While users must have a NYPL card to access the database, it offers a helpful example of the kinds of resources that more libraries are using. Audiobooks are also available in Spanish.

Audible Kids provides digital audio content for children. Shop, purchase, and download digital audio editions of books, newspapers, and magazines; original programming; and TV and radio subscriptions. Spanish titles are also available.

Research article by Joanne Ujiie and Stephen Krashen on the importance of finding a "Home Run" book.

Articles about motivating younger readers on our sister site, Reading Rockets.

Reading motivation articles on our sister site about adolescent literacy, AdLit.org.

Articles covering a wide range of topics from Reading Is Fundamental.

Website with lists of common English prefixes, roots, and suffixes and their meanings from the South Hampton College of Long Island University.

New Readers Press is a publishing division of ProLiteracy, the world's largest organization of adult basic education and literacy programs. New Readers Press offers a wide variety of materials, including ESL and citizenship resources, a weekly newspaper designed for beginning readers, and GED/life skills resources.

A searchable database of books with corresponding Lexile level.

This grid can be used to browse Scholastic's Classroom Books' individual paperback titles organized by Guided Reading, Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA), and Lexile Levels.

A publisher offering content-area textbooks for higher grades written in simple English with lots of visuals.

Perfection Learning article describing the research supporting the use of high interest/low readability books with struggling readers. Includes examples of their products.

Penguin readers are books categorized by the number of words used in the story, from 300 to 3,000.

Differentiated themed sets, reading programs, magazines, and content-based fiction materials created for ELLs and struggling readers. Strong emphasis on understanding science, social studies, and math content while improving literacy skills.

What's Different About Teaching Reading to Students Learning English? by Dorothy Kaufmann provides teacher trainers with a research-based curriculum to guide the professional development of classroom and ESL teachers who teach reading in classes where some or all of the students are English language learners. The curriculum is available for purchase from the Center for Applied Linguistics store.

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Once upon a time, I tried to read Like Water, for Chocolate, by Laura Esquivel in Spanish. I had seen and enjoyed the movie in English, and since I'm a fairly fluent Spanish speaker, I thought it would be a fun challenge. I think I "read" three pages.