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See The Teacher Toolkit for more
information and examples

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Lesson plan, including videos and template downloads

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The Frayer Model is a graphic organizer for building student vocabulary. This technique requires students to define target vocabulary and apply their knowledge by generating examples and non-examples, giving characteristics, and/or drawing a picture to illustrate the meaning of the word.

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Differentiated and Bilingual Non-Fiction Texts 

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Differentiated and Bilingual Non-Fiction Texts 

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It's time to improve literacy skills during social studies instruction and ensure that readers of all abilities have what they need to access grade-level social studies concepts.

Join us on Thursday, December 7 for a look at scaffolded materials that provide extra literacy support while building key social studies concepts and skills.

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Newsela | Content and assessment platform

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Content Aligned To National & State Standard, Flexible To Support Relevant Curriculum. Find the Perfect Piece Of Content For Lessons. Go beyond the book.

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You can download this file from Padlet (even if it says the file is too big for the preview). This file include ideas from the gallery walk

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Lesson plan for introducing stems, including video of math lessons and questioning stems in Spanish

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This technique gives students the opportunity to respond in the form of a complete sentence to effectively communicate. Sentence stems provide scaffolding to help students get started in speaking or writing without the added pressure of thinking about how to correctly formulate a response.

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Planbook

Google Drive

Common Curriculum

Slack

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Make instruction more accessible to students. 

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Make instruction more accessible to students. 

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We should use them with ELs because students need to have access to the general curriculum, and scaffolding will help them to achieve this goal.

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assists students in understanding key vocabulary and concepts that they may need support.
why?  it helps them to understand the content and the language so that and they will feel confident

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Support at every level until mastery. Why? Need support for academic language and content

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Break down or task analyse the skill to allow student understanding

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Break down or task analyse the skill to allow student understanding

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To provide foundational skills development to increase later skills

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Scaffolds are intended to provide support as you build up something. They are meant to be taken away.

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They are intended to create a better understanding and relay the content in a way that is supportive to ELLs.
You should use them for daily instruction of content area and vocabulary.

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Scaffolds are intended to provide support and understanding.
Scaffolds should be used with ELs because it's necessary for their success in the classroom.

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Intended to build on prior knowledge.  x

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Intended to build on prior knowledge.  x

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They should be used with every learner, not just ELs.

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1.) Support instruction; support ELs during this instruction.
2.) Makes teachers lives easier; students are more likely to participate.

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CMS Table 1 - Designed to fill in gaps and bring kids up to proficiency

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CMS Table 1 - Designed to fill in gaps and bring kids up to proficiency

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To make learning equitable.

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Scaffolds help to support students and allow all to get/achieve the same level or goal.
To allow ALL students equal access to learning the objective.

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Scaffolds are intended to aid in the learning process of new materials/new skills.

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1. Help bridge the gaps
2. To bridge the linguistic barrier our EL's are frequently restricted by

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Scaffolds are meant to provide supports for those who need it. (not every one does)

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Scaffolds are meant to provide supports for those who need it. (not every one does)

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They are used to bridge the gap between struggling and on pace students.

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New strategies to reach EL students

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New strategies and activities to use with my ELLs

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New strategies and activities to use with my ELLs

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New strategies to further engage students in language.

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New strategies to further engage students in language.

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Less of me talking, more of them talking

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Keep it interesting, but repetitive!

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New teaching games to use in the classroom.

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Useful strategies to use in the classroom

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Strategies for ELs can be useful (and fun) for L1 students.

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Strategies for ELs can be useful (and fun) for L1 students.

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Barriers & Solutions to Family Engagement 

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Barriers & Solutions to Family Engagement 

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SupportEd, 2018

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Tips for Connecting with Non-English Speaking Parents

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Tips for Connecting with Non-English Speaking Parents

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Gonzalez, 2015

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American schools are becoming more culturally and linguistically diverse. While many students quickly attain proficiency in English, there's often a language barrier when communicating with parents. As an ESL teacher, overcoming language and cultural barriers have become part of my job description. Although I'm fortunate to be fluent and literate in Spanish, many of my students and their families are not Spanish speaking, so I find myself in the same predicament as many regular education teachers when having to communicate with non-English-speaking parents.

While Spanish may be the most common home language of many multilingual students, there are pockets of the country where other languages, such as Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Hmong, Haitian Creole, and Arabic are widely spoken. Perhaps you have a Spanish-speaking staff member on your campus to assist with parent meetings, but if a family speaks another foreign language, you may be in a bind. Conversely, some families are indeed English speaking, and while their accents may be heavy, English is their language of choice, so communication may be challenging. Despite any language barriers, it behooves us to reach out to those of different languages and cultures so they feel welcome and comfortable in our schools.

Here are some tips to help teachers connect with these families:

1. Listen and learn. Ask questions, read, and take the time to learn about their language and heritage. Avoid stereotypes at all cost. Whether you have a predominantly Hispanic, Asian, Arab, or European student population, ethnic groups come in all colors, shapes, and sizes-not to mention dialects and religious backgrounds. Don't assume anything. People within the same ethnic group, and often from the same country, will eat different foods, speak different languages, and celebrate different holidays.

Here are some examples of common assumptions that can land you in a tight spot:

When offering a Hispanic heritage night, don't just serve tacos, unless you're expecting a predominantly Mexican audience (and even then you might want to offer a more nuanced menu). Many non-Mexican Hispanics are highly offended when folks assume they are Mexican. I know a Colombian parent who walked out on a Spanish night presentation because, according to her, "everything was Mexican." While the majority of Hispanics in the United States are indeed Mexican, Hispanics represent numerous different countries. In my case, I'm Cuban and grew up in Miami. I didn't meet a Mexican until I went to Cancun on vacation with my parents.

If you have a large Indian student population, remember there are 15 official languages and countless other unofficial languages in India. Indians from different regions will not be able to communicate with each other unless they both speak English. Furthermore, although English is actually India's common official language, it is very different from American English. While it's likely you can communicate in English, it's safe to expect some communication breakdown.

If many of your parents are Asian, be sure to know more specific information about their countries and regions. And please don't assume that Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese can understand each other. Their languages and physical characteristics may seem very similar, but these groups are vastly different, both culturally and linguistically.

2. Use technology. Professional translators aren't always available at schools, but Google Translate is. It isn't perfect, but it works fairly well. If you use Remind, you can copy/paste the translation into your messages so parents receive them in their native language. I set up a Remind group in Spanish, not only to send messages about my class, but also to translate school calls on important topics such as report cards or snow days. Remind also recently released its Translate feature in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, and German. For users who set up the app in one of those languages, a translation button will appear when they receive messages in English. By simply tapping a button, messages will be instantly translated into the requested language. If you need translation into any other language, Remind's private chat feature allows you to send translated messages to someone, by simply copying and pasting from Google Translate. Class Dojo also recently released a Translate feature enabling translation into 30 different languages. While I'm not currently a Class Dojo user, some of my children's teachers have used it in the past, and I found it to be an excellent tool.

3. Use standard English. Some parents' English is broken, but they will be able to understand the gist of the message if you speak slowly and avoid slang, idioms, and analogies. Ask for their "two-cents" and they may hand you some change instead of giving you their input. Likewise, an analogy may help a native English speaker more clearly understand a teaching strategy or approach, but to a non-English speaker, it may be completely confusing.

4. Smiles are understood by all. Care and compassion have no language. A warm and friendly demeanor will express much more than words. When parents sense you are genuinely concerned about their son or daughter, they will connect with you and it will improve their child's school experience.

5. Stay connected. Reaching out to parents is not a once-a-year thing. We need to stay in touch all year long. Connecting with parents helps develop a valuable partnership that will undoubtedly benefit the student in the classroom. All parents want their children to learn. My parents never quite mastered the English language, so they couldn't help me with my homework, but they held me accountable and pushed me to achieve more than they ever could. They understood the value of education and highly respected my teachers. I find that most families are not very different from my parents. They all want their children to thrive. Staying connected can help parents feel like part of this valued process.

Use some of the technology tools mentioned above. Weekly Remind or Class Dojo messages keep parents abreast of what's happening in the classroom and can also give you a chance to brag a little.

6. Push politics aside. Our students' birthplace or immigration status is irrelevant. They are entitled to an education, and it is our job to serve them well. Reaching out to parents will not only generate their support, but will likely increase academic achievement. After all, we want well-behaved, high-achieving students, not dropouts roaming the streets.

As a former English-language learner who entered kindergarten without speaking a word of English, I understood the language acquisition process well before taking my first language-education course. My personal experiences have made me keenly aware of how to best reach out to parents. One thing is for certain. Parents want to know that their child is cared for and valued while at school and that you are not only their teacher, but also their ally. Cultural and linguistic barriers are undoubtedly challenging, but they are not impossible to overcome.

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Tips for Connecting With Non-English-Speaking Parents (Opinion)

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Teachers can play a big role in helping families of diverse languages and cultures feel welcome and comfortable in schools, writes Anabel Gonzalez.

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Communicating Important Information with ELL Families: Strategies for Success

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Communicating Important Information with ELL Families: Strategies for Success

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Breiseth, Robertson, & Lafond, 2015

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It is critical for schools to understand the rights that English language learners (ELLs), immigrant students, and their families have regarding access to schooling and information in their home languages. Learn more about those rights below, as well as some best practices for not only meeting those obligations but building positive partnerships with ELL families in support of their children.

Supporting immigrant families

For related ideas, see the following:

6. Find ways to communicate with ELL parents

Note: ELL families are legally entitled to information about their child's schooling (including enrollment, parent-conference meetings, and any services the school provides, such as ESL or special education) in a language they understand. See more about those rights in the following:

A. What you need to know

One of the greatest challenges for schools and ELL parents is communicating with each other. While educators may feel frustrated that they can't get their message across to parents, parents may be just as frustrated that they can't communicate easily with the school and their child's teacher. Like your other parents, however, ELL parents want to know what's happening with their child. Two important pieces of this puzzle include:

A reliable translation process: In Supporting English Language Learners: A Guide for Teachers and Administrators, Farin A. Houk underscores the importance of establishing two-way communication on both sides, as well as the necessity for a translation process that is "formal, steady, and reliable" (64). What does not work, she says, is sending notes home in English, talking slower or louder, using students to translate, or asking a friend or relative to translate confidential or detailed information. She also underscores the importance of having options for families with limited literacy skills (65-66).

Phone calls: Offer staff training on communicating in simplified English on the phone. Monolingual staff may be reluctant to call the homes of bilingual students because "they won't be able to understand anyway." As a result, the bilingual staff members are frequently called upon to stop what they are doing to translate. With some guidance, however, teachers can learn how to communicate basic information through a simplified conversation or message.

B. Reflection

How would you describe the communication at your school with ELL parents? Have you had some success stories? Have you explored all of your available options? Are you familiar with applicable local, state, and federal regulations regarding translations and parent access to information?

C. Strategies

In order to improve school-home communication, Houk suggests:

Hiring, when possible, staff that matches the linguistic needs of your population

Developing an ongoing relationship with community organizations

Scheduling home-school communication time into the school day for e-mails or phone calls

Using parent phone trees (65-66).

In addition:

Find out what the applicable regulations are that relate to parent communication.

Find out what translation and interpreting resources are available in your district.

Use school staff to help interpret on a rotating or scheduled basis so that the same individuals aren't frequently pulled away from other duties.

Ask parents how they prefer to receive communication (phone, e-mail, text message, etc.).

Ask parents which language they prefer - it may be English.

Inform parents that they can bring an interpreter to the school or that one can be provided.

Avoid using translation websites, which are imprecise and often inaccurate.

Notes: You may have parents with strong bilingual skills that can assist in translating school forms or interpreting. If you do plan on using these parents, however, offer training, provide a list of translated terms, give them enough time to complete the translation, and have other native speakers review written translations (Rodriguez, 48). This is critical because school terms can be complicated and easily misrepresented, especially when translated into varying dialects of the same language.

D. Examples

One educator shares the creative way she used an automated voice message: "Over the entire Christmas holidays, parents heard my recorded voice remind them of the financial aid workshops. That proved very helpful...They just need those reminders. They want our students to go to college, but sometimes that fear about the ability to pay is overwhelming" (Alford and Niño, 88).

The Bilingual PreK-3 Teacher Education Program, a federally-funded grant administered through Pacific Oaks College Northwest, was created to increase the number of certified educators from ELL/minority communities teaching in the public schools. One way they accomplish this mission is by helping talented early bilingual childhood educators in the local preschool programs fulfill the necessary requirements to become certified (Houk, 33-34).

Related resources

7. Make the enrollment process manageable for ELL parents

Note: All students have the right to a free, public K-12 education, regardless of their immigration status or that of their parents. This includes access to services and programs such as free- and reduced-priced meals, English-language development classes, special education, and school activities.

Schools are not permitted to (a) ask about immigration status for purposes of enrollment or (b) ask any questions that would dissuade immigrant students or families from enrolling or have any kind of chilling effect.

See our related guide on supporting immigrant students for more information on:

A. What you need to know

School enrollment is a complicated process for any family. There are forms to be filled out, decisions to be made, policies to be read, programs to learn about, and questions to be answered. For ELL families, a number of other obstacles can arise:

There is no interpreter available.

Parents are unaware of services (such as free- and reduced-lunch) for which they qualify.

They don't understand how bussing works.

They are confused about their rights and their children's rights.

They are reluctant to show any form of identification.

In addition, your ELL families may be coming from:

A school system very different from the U.S. system

A situation with a lot of mobility (as in the case of migrant students)

A situation without any schooling at all (such as a refugee camp).

Yet regardless of how it's done, ELL parents must have access to the same information as non-ELL parents. Sending information home in English will not ensure that it is read and understood. Getting this information doesn't just help the school operate more smoothly - it can make a critical difference in keeping children healthy and safe.

Whether through translated forms or an interpreter, ELL parents need to know about the basics, such as:

Enrollment procedures

The school schedule

Their child's schedule

Attendance policies and procedures for absences

Bussing and transportation

How breakfast and lunch work (such as lunch accounts, codes, or policies)

Free- and reduced-lunch options

Holidays and school closures

Weather delays

Procedures for alerting the school to their child's medical conditions, medication, and allergies.

ELL also parents need information about their child's academic program, such as:

Their child's classes and who their child's teachers are

The school grading system and report cards

Assessments (classroom and standardized)

Parent conferences

Information about the English-language program and placement procedures (121)

Special services, such as gifted programs or special education as needed

Homework help and resources

The school library

Clubs, sports, and extra-curricular activities.

Finally, Debbie Zacarian underscores the importance of sharing information about the following in her book, Transforming Schools for English Language Learners: A Comprehensive Framework for School Leaders:

Student and parent rights

Emergency contact cards and procedures

The student handbook and code of conduct (121).

Additional topics are included in the article Helping ELL Newcomers: Things Your Students Need to Know, an excerpt from The More-Than-Just-Surviving Handbook: ESL for Every Classroom Teacher (3rd edition) by Barbara Law and Mary Eckes.

B. Reflection

Think through your enrollment process step by step. How does it work for ELL families? Do parents get all of the information they need? What might be some possible obstacles to that process? Which steps do you think need improvement?

C. Strategies

There are a number of ways to approach the enrollment process for ELL families, including:

Bilingual staff: When possible, hire bilingual staff to work in the main office.

Translated forms: Many of the more general forms are available in other languages from the state education sites, and there may already be some translations available through your district.

Enrollment night: Schedule an "enrollment night" in which families can learn about the enrollment process and school policies with interpreters on hand.

School liaisons: Assign each family a school contact who speaks their language and guides them through the enrollment process (Houk, 66).

Welcome centers: Having a centralized ELL welcome/intake center managed by bilingual staff may help streamline enrollment and placement procedures.

Welcome kits: Put together a "welcome kit" that includes key information, basic school supplies, and educational activities for your ELL families.

Technology: Consider offering translations of your forms online, such as these from Los Angeles Unified School District, or an automated enrollment form in multiple languages.

D. Example

In the article Lessons Learned from Immigrant Families, Young-Chan Han of the Maryland Department of Education shares the story of a young boy from El Salvador who waited outside the locked school on a cold January morning for an hour until the janitor let him in. It was his first day, and it happened to be the morning of a snow delay.

Video: A warm welcome for immigrant families in the front office

8. Make the enrollment process accessible all year long

A. What you need to know

Keep in mind that your school must be ready to enroll ELLs throughout the school year. Many schools are prepared for enrollment only at the beginning of the year, and anyone who registers after that gets a short-cut "fill and drill," especially if no interpreters are available. Staff may be pulled from their regular duties to translate and help families fill out forms; this is not an acceptable solution.

B. Reflection

How does the experience of a new student enrolling at the beginning of the year compare with a student enrolling in November? January? March? How does it compare for ELLs?

C. Strategies

Ask the staff involved in ELL student enrollment (including the main office staff and the ELL/bilingual departments) for ideas on how the school can make the enrollment process welcoming and accessible all year long.

Make sure all of the information available for parents and staff at the beginning of the year is accessible throughout the year.

Ask parents who enrolled their children after the beginning of previous school years what their experience was like and what could have been improved through a survey or questionnaire.

D. Example

Kristina Roberston shares a creative approach that her school employed in order to limit the impact of new student enrollment on lost classroom time. This involved training paraprofessionals who could be pulled more easily from support work to help enrolling families. The paraprofessionals received training on the packet of information that parents received, and this allowed the school to have more than one person available to assist new families. The school also set up regular testing times after school when teachers would be available, even if a student had already begun classes.

9. Provide opportunities for parents to learn more about important topics and skills

A. What you need to know

For parents who are not familiar with the U.S. educational system, there is a lot to learn - and it's pretty complicated! If your ELL families aren't "involved" in activities and events, one reason may be that they need more background information about our school system in a language they understand.

B. Reflection

Let's return to the hypothetical new country where you are preparing to enroll your child. Imagine that you are handed a thick booklet with information about standardized testing, grading systems, and college applications written a language you don't understand. Where would you begin in order to help your child?

C. Strategies

Whenever possible, offer parents the opportunity to attend workshops in their native language about complex topics such as:

The U.S. school system (The AFTs' bilingual Pathways to Success brochure, also available in Spanish, is a helpful guide.)

Information on how to check school websites to track their child's progress

Parent-teacher conferences

Standardized testing

Gifted programs

Special education services for speech, hearing, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, etc.

The college application process

Information on the benefits of reading at home (Start with Colorín Colorado's reading tips in 11 languages and family literacy outreach toolkit).

Note: Consider enlisting other staff members, parents, volunteers, or community partners to help organize and run these workshops.

D. Examples

At Greenfield Elementary School, ELL parents participate in an ESL class which teaches computer skills in addition to basic English skills. Parents write a bilingual cookbook of recipes as a final project, and each week they attend a potluck dinner together. Children work on their homework with high school volunteers while their parents are in class (Fugate, 50).

A local educator decided to hold a Spanish-language information session about college enrollment at a local church. The meeting was listed in the newspaper, announced at the church, and publicized through personal outreach. The organizer had planned for about twenty parents; instead, more than eighty attended (Alford & Niño, 83).

Another educator at a different school helped organize a "Math Power Path Night," in which class projects were arranged along a guided path so that parents could see the sequence of recommended math classes that their children should take. The principal had expected fifty parents; more than two hundred came (83)!

Related resources

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Communicating Important Information with ELL Families: Strategies for Success

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It is critical for schools to understand the rights that English language learners (ELLs), immigrant students, and their families have regarding access to schooling and information in their home languages. Learn more about those rights below, as well as some best practices for not only meeting those obligations but building positive partnerships with ELL families in support of their children.

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How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment

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How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment

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Colorín Colorado

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An important first step in helping English language learners (ELLs) succeed is making them feel welcome in the classroom.

This will:

increase their confidence

make them feel more comfortable in the class

build a foundation for positive relationships with you and their peers.

Here's how you can get started!

The ELL student population includes students who were born in the U.S. and students who have immigrated from another country. For ELLs who have recently arrived in the U.S., they will face the challenge of learning a new language in addition to adjusting to an unfamiliar cultural setting and school system.

On a daily basis, ELLs are adjusting to new ways of saying and doing things. As their teacher, you are an important bridge to this unknown culture and school system.

In the same way that ELLs go through stages of English language learning, they may also pass through stages of cultural accommodation. These stages, however, may be less defined and more difficult to notice. Being aware of these stages may help you to better understand "unusual" actions and reactions that may just be part of adjusting to a new culture.

Euphoria: ELLs may experience an initial period of excitement about their new surroundings.

Culture shock: ELLs may then experience anger, hostility, frustration, homesickness, or resentment towards the new culture.

Acceptance: ELLs may gradually accept their different surroundings.

Assimilation/adaptation: ELLs may embrace and adapt to their surroundings and their "new" culture.

It is also common for students who are learning a new language to be 'silent' for a period of time, when they are listening to the language around them without speaking yet (much as a young child listens to language first before learning to talk). This is considered the first stage of language acquisition.

Patience and creating opportunities for small successes in speaking with you and peers can help build students' confidence. In addition, keep in mind that students' silence could also be a sign of respect for you as an authority - and not a sign of their inability or refusal to participate.

Students may also have experienced trauma or face different kinds of hardship in the U.S. You can better prepare yourself for this possibility by:

Learn more from the following:

This award-winning documentary highlights how the Dearborn, MI public school district is helping its immigrant students succeed. Learn more about this project and see related videos.

Getting to Know Students

Learn how to pronounce students' names correctly

Don't forget to smile and use positive body language!

A lot of communication happens through expressions, body language, and tone. Smiling and using positive body language can go a long way in making students feel welcome and comfortable, particularly if they are newcomers, as seen in the vignette shared by a teacher below.

Build relationships with students

Veteran teachers of ELLs always point to building relationships as the most important step in their work with ELLs. Not only does it increase engagement and support students' later academic success, it also provides invaluable information that can inform your instruction and family engagement.

In addition, it can help build bridges with students who may have particularly unique experiences, such as children in migrant farmwork families or Indigenous students.

See more ideas on how to build these relationships from the following:

Video: Showing students you care

Corpus Christi teacher Christine Price talks about the importance of showing students you care early on.

Identify students' strengths and interests

It's important to remember that ELLs bring lots of strengths, talents, and rich experiences to the classroom. Getting to know students' interests can help:

build rapport

engage students in learning

find connections with new friends.

Families are also an important source of information and are often happy to talk about the activities that their child enjoys. They may also appreciate the fact that their child's teacher is taking an interest in the child's strengths and talents. (This is especially true in special education settings.)

Teacher Omar Salem describes a student who not only sings and dances but manages her own YouTube channel and edits all of the video she posts of her performances.

Video: Using parent letters to get to know my students

Albuquerque teacher Clara Gonzales-Espinoza asks her parents to write her a letter at the beginning of each school year telling her about the child's personality, interests, strengths, and anything else they think she should know. In this interview, Clara speaks more about this strategy and its impact on her relationships with parents and students.

Ensure that students have information about activities and clubs

Make sure that students have information about extra-curricular activities, sports, and clubs related to their interests. You can also encourage them to start their own club within the school.

ELL educator Christine Rowland notes, "Many students find involvement in school clubs and teams to be extremely helpful, as they are often experts in these areas, and they can provide a space where they more easily feel they belong."

Welcoming Students' Language and Culture

Invite students' cultures into the classroom

Encourage ELLs and their families to share their culture with you and your class. Show-and-tell is a good opportunity for ELLs to bring in something representative of their culture, if they wish.

Invite students and families to:

share photographs, visuals, or meaningful artifacts such as flags or mementos

tell a popular story or folktale using words, pictures, gestures, and movements

share information about important holidays or celebrations.

Looking beyond the classroom

Imagine that you are walking into your school for the first time as a parent.

What do you see on the walls?

If your first language weren't English, would you see signs in your language?

Would you see flags, maps, or books representing your home country?

Would you see your child's work on display in the hallway?

If you think more could be done to make families feel welcome, consider:

sharing some ideas with colleagues or administrators and taking small steps that you can point to as successes

looking for opportunities to celebrate all families and their languages, customs, and cultures, whether in the classroom or at a school-wide event

keeping a lookout for a special part of their lives that other families might appreciate getting to know.

See more ideas in the following:

Video: What happened when the students realized the Yemeni flag wasn't on stage

ELD Specialist Diana Alqadhi tells the story of some students who realized that the Yemeni flag was not featured prominently enough on stage before a school show.

Invite students' languages into the classroom

Label classroom objects to allow ELLs to better understand their immediate surroundings. These labels will also assist you when explaining or giving directions, and it gives peers an additional opportunity to learn some words in their classmates' language.

Start with everyday items, such as "door/puerta," "book/libro," and "chair/silla."

You may wish to ask students who can write in their first language or family members to help you with this project.

You can also invite students to teach the class some words from their home language.

Learn more about the resources available in students' home languages

Students benefit from support in their home language - what Dr. Fred Genesee calls their " most valuable resource." You have may have access to learning material in students' languages, or you may be able to find resources that support those languages.

Language access for multilingual families

In addition, it's critical to understand what language access resources you have available through your school and district, particularly for communication with families. Keep in mind that all families have a legal right to information in their home language. Family liaisons, interpreters, ESL teachers, or administrators may have more information about what language access resources are available in your district.

Video: What Do School Districts Need to Know About Language Access?

This helpful overview about what language access means for school districts is a great introduction to the requirements, best practices, and funding streams related to language access in public education. This interview features Dr. Jennifer Love, the Supervisor of Language Access and Engagement in Prince George's County Public Schools, Maryland.

Video: Language Access for Multilingual Families

What does appropriate language access mean for multilingual families? This interview also features Dr. Jennifer Love.

Ensure your students see themselves reflected in the classroom

Ask yourself if students can see representations of their culture, race, gender, and other aspects of identity reflected in your:

classroom materials and library

lesson plans and activities

classroom visuals (both in-person and virtual).

In addition:

Success in the Classroom

Encourage your students

Some ELLs may not answer voluntarily in class or ask for your help even if they need it. ELLs may smile and nod, but this does not necessarily mean that they understand. Offer one-on-one support and encouragement as much as possible. For convenience, it may be helpful to seat ELLs near your desk.

Assign a buddy

Identify a classmate who will make a good buddy for new students - someone who is friendly, patient, and a good communicator to be a buddy. This student can make sure that the new student understands what he or she is supposed to do during class activities. It is helpful if the peer partner knows the ELL's first language, but not necessary. However, remember to never use another student as an interpreter in any situation.

Learn more about ways to increase peer interaction and collaboration in these related strategies.

Ask the class how they can help welcome new students

Ask students to brainstorm ways to help ELLs in particular. You may wish to make a list of ideas on how to welcome new students at the beginning of the year so that students have these strategies in mind if a student comes with little advance notice.

Be vigilant about health issues, dietary concerns, and allergies

Students may have specific health issues or dietary restrictions due to health, cultural, or religious reasons. Be sure that you learn all essential information you need to know about student health and diet from parents or guardians. For ELLs, be sure to confirm and clarify this information with the help of interpreters.

If you learn information about a student that would be helpful for other staff to know, particularly regarding health or food allergies, talk with administrators about how to keep the child safe. In addition, be sensitive to cultural or religious norms, such as fasting for religious reasons.

Keep an eye out for signs of culture shock

Moving to a new country and leaving a familiar life, relatives, friends, and language behind can be traumatic for children in the best of circumstances. Those challenges are compounded if children have experienced trauma, violence, or upheaval. Learn more about how culture shock can impact students in the classroom and affect student behavior so that you recognize signs if newcomers act out.

Encourage students to take ownership of the classroom culture

Ask students to answer the following questions through drawings or written responses.

How can I be a good classmate to others?

What are examples of unkind or disrespectful behavior in the classroom?

To support ELLs in their discussions of these questions:

Encourage students who speak the same language to discuss their ideas in groups.

Provide scaffolded materials such as graphic organizers, sentence stems, and sentence frames.

Use a picture book to talk about different kinds of behavior with students.

Create a shared set of classroom expectations together

Return to your earlier discussion of what a respectful classroom looks like.

Brainstorm ideas on possible class rules based on that discussion.

Streamline the list of class guidelines or rules.

Add any rules or guidelines that are missing.

In order to establish appropriate consequences for disrespectful behavior, you may wish to come up with ideas with the class or determine those consequences yourself.

Post the final list classroom rules in the classroom.

Translate the rules into ELLs' native languages so that they can keep the list handy and share it at home.

To see an example of this proces in action, take a look at ELL expert Carol Salva's process for developing a community contract each year.

Help your ELLs understand expectations for the classroom

ELLs may need some extra support in understanding expectations for classroom behavior. Helping them understand these expectations can avoid misunderstandings, discipline problems, and feelings of low self-esteem.

At the same time, it's important to remember that students bridging two cultures may need guidance which behaviors are appropriate in which setting (such as eye contact, physical proximity, etc.). If you have questions, talk with a cultural liaison in the school to learn more about appropriate responses and ideas for helping students navigate a new culture. You can also learn more about cultural norms of your students, particularly related to schooling, to help inform your approach.

Here are a few strategies that you can use in class:

Use visuals like pictures, symbols, and reward systems to communicate your expectations in a positive and direct manner.

Physically model language to ELLs in classroom routines and instructional activities. ELLs will need to see you or their peers model behavior when you want them to sit down, walk to the bulletin board, work with a partner, copy a word, etc.

Be consistent and fair with all students. Once ELLs clearly understand what is expected, hold them equally accountable for their behavior.

Post a daily schedule. Even if ELLs do not yet understand all of the words that you speak, it is possible for them to understand the structure of each day. Whether through chalkboard art or images on Velcro, you can post the daily schedule each morning. By writing down times and having pictures next to words like lunch, wash hands, math, and field trip, ELLs can have a general sense of the upcoming day.

Finally, remember ELLs can make unintentional "mistakes" as they are trying hard to adjust to a new cultural setting. They are constantly transferring what they know as acceptable behaviors from their own culture to the U.S. classroom and school. Be patient as ELLs learn English and adjust - and remember that you will learn a lot from this experience too!

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How to Create a Welcoming Classroom Environment for ELLs

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An important first step in helping English language learners (ELLs) succeed is making them feel welcome in the classroom. This will: increase their confidence make them feel more comfortable in the class build a foundation for positive relationships with you and their peers. Here's how you can get started!

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Resources for Addressing Multicultural and Diversity Issues in Your Classroom

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Resources for Addressing Multicultural and Diversity Issues in Your Classroom

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National Education Association

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NEA views the diversity that exists among our members, staff, students, and communities as a great asset for public education and works to maximize this asset through the National Diversity Training Program.

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Teaching Tolerance

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From film kits and lesson plans to the building blocks of a customized Learning Plan—texts, student tasks and teaching strategies—our resources will help you bring relevance, rigor and social emotional learning into your classroom—all for FREE.

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Gorski, P.

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Workshops & Training
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Multicultural Education Pavilion - Diversity, Equity, & Social Justice Education Resources

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Workshops & Training Teacher Resources Awareness Activities Equity Case Studies Equity & Diversity Quizzes Printable Handouts Equity Curriculum Research Room Social Justice Speeches Social Justice Songs Social Justice Quotations Equity Web Links Join Our Email List Contact Us Receive Email Updates Awards & Recognition About Paul C.

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Community Walks Create Bonds of Understanding

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Community Walks Create Bonds of Understanding

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Shane Safir

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

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Quezada, Lindsey, & Lindsey, 2015

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5 Elements of Cultural Proficiency - NAESP

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By Reyes Quezada, Delores Lindsey, and Randall Lindsey Communicator August 2015, Volume 38, Issue 12 SASHATIGAR/SHUTTERSTOCK

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It's the personal stories that are often lost in the conversations we have about immigrants and refugees. One personal story may seem insignificant; however, when the stories of nearly five million English Language Learners are absent from the education narrative in the United States, so is the context through which we can learn to know our students, to build empathy, and to truly understand what our students -- especially newcomer students -- need to be successful.

A Story Can Shift Practice

Emily Francis' immigrant story is compelling standing on its own; however, it becomes even more powerful if we ask what this story -- and the many others like it -- can teach us about how we can best reach newcomer students and any student who doesn't quite fit in.

As you read about Emily's experience, think about the similar struggles and barriers your students face in the classroom each day. Allow Emily's story to illuminate some of the ways that educators can identify their students' needs and support newcomers with a few simple pedagogical shifts.

More importantly, keep in mind how a growth mindset and asset-based way of thinking is required to see the gifts that every student brings, particularly those from other cultures, languages, and countries.

When we remember the power of stories from others unlike ourselves, we can put ourselves in their shoes, developing empathy for different perspectives and different paths in life. We can learn about the funds of knowledgeour students and their families posess, or the rich backgrounds, skills, and assets diverse populations bring to school. We can move beyond the challenging socio-political rhetoric and focus on the realities in our classrooms -- the realities of the world our immigrant students bring to us every day.

Connecting Stories to Practice
My Immigrant Story: Struggle, Solidarity, and Serendipity
Emily recalls her life in Guatemala, before emigrating to the United States. Through this story, we gain some insight into Emily's strength, the role family plays in her life, and her unwavering focus on finding strength during hardship.
How do we empower students like Emily to share their stories so that we can better understand and support all of our students?
Resources for Deepening Your Practice

[video_embed src=" https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/writing-commentaries-ypp/..." width="480"]

[video_embed src=" https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/school-culture-community-circles/..." width="480"]
My Immigration Story: New Land, New Opportunity
Follow Emily's journey from undocumented and unaccompanied minor in Guatemala to legal immigrant in New York City. You'll read about the tumultuous journey of Emily and her two younger sisters, including the stigmatization they experienced as they arrived in the United States.

Resources for Deepening Your Practice:
My Immigrant Story: Embracing Education, Navigating Failure
As a newcomer, Emily embraces the opportunity to be educated in the United States in spite of the odds stacked against Latino students. She explains how she comes to find that learning -- and passing assessments -- is often an uphill battle for English language learners.

Resources for Deepening Your Practice:
My Immigrant Story: Sí Se Puede!
Emily learned that she wouldn't be graduating high school, so becoming a teacher seemed like an impossible dream. But, in the end, her failures were nothing more than a detour on the path to success.

Resources for Deepening Your Practice:

As educators, it's important that we know our students and, as Emily's story demonstrates, it's also important that we know our students' stories -- especially when we teach ELLs and newcomers in our current political landscape. What really matters is relationships -- relationships between students, teachers, families. We need to be sure that the students in front of us know that we care about them, that we see their identities, and that we want their voices -- and their stories -- to be heard.

For more resources to support your English language learners and newcomers, be sure to visit Teaching Channel's ELL Deep Dive.

How do you empower your students to share their stories? We'd love to hear your ideas in the comments below.

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The Power of Story for ELLs and Newcomers: Identity and Empathy

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It's the personal stories that are often lost in the conversations we have about immigrants and refugees. One personal story may seem insignificant; however, when the stories of nearly five million English Language Learners are absent from the education narrative in the United States, so is the context through which we can learn to know our students, to build empathy, and to truly understand what our students -- especially newcomer students -- need to be successful.

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CommonLit | Free Online Reading Passages and Literacy Resources

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CommonLit is a comprehensive literacy program with thousands of reading lessons, full-year ELA curriculum, benchmark assessments, and standards-based data for teachers.

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News in Levels

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English news and easy articles for students of English

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News in Levels « World News for Students of English

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We write news in three different levels of English. We want to help you understand English more. Now all students can enjoy reading and listening to news.

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Reading Comprehension Instruction that Works

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Reading Comprehension Instruction that Works

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ReadWorks

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ReadWorks | Award-Winning, EdTech Nonprofit Organization

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ReadWorks is an edtech nonprofit organization that is committed to helping to solve America's reading comprehension crisis.

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Reading. Now every teacher’s most powerful learning tool.

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Reading. Now every teacher’s most powerful learning tool.

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Newslea

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It's time to improve literacy skills during social studies instruction and ensure that readers of all abilities have what they need to access grade-level social studies concepts.

Join us on Thursday, December 7 for a look at scaffolded materials that provide extra literacy support while building key social studies concepts and skills.

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Content Aligned To National & State Standard, Flexible To Support Relevant Curriculum. Find the Perfect Piece Of Content For Lessons. Go beyond the book.

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Reading Resources

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Foundational Literacy Skills with Newcomers

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Foundational Literacy Skills with Newcomers

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Teaching Channel

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Foundational Literacy Skills with Newcomers

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Christopher Maldonado teaches a high school literacy class for ELL students with interrupted education. In this lesson, students are working on phonics, fluency practice, and a reading guide focused on a text about Frida Kahlo. Christopher begins the class with an opening question related to the tex…

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Department of Education, 2017

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Into the Volcano- Academic Language Slides

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7th Grade

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Finn
Guzman
Preletz

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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1aJuZvpcljvIC4SObpAt7cfKhI6BzEQvQfbF5kymnVvw/edit?usp=sharing

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#21 tells you the average rainfall.  This is extra information.  This problem and the overall assignment is accessible to ELs.
Strategies: Find question and work backward.

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--Races
--Challenges

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ELs bring diversity to the classroom, and new perspectives.

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ELs bring diversity to the classroom, and new perspectives.

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they bring diversity and new and fascinating information. 

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they bring diversity and new and fascinating information. 

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Bring a level of diversity, development of community and empathy among peers

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different background experiences

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Sharing cultures

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EL's usually posses greater background knowledge than regular ed. students.

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Knowledge and experience of other cultural aspects not necessarily known to the rest of the class.

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Knowledge and experience of other cultural aspects not necessarily known to the rest of the class.

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Theres no difference for math, except the vocabulary

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the knowledge of another language (and culture?) to share with the class

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the knowledge of another language (and culture?) to share with the class

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EL's usually posses greater amounts of background knowledge than most regular ed. students.

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Wide range of cultural experiences

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Eager to learn.

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In music class, I always enjoy the enthusiasm of my EL sections.  They have always been so ready to sing, dance and MOVE to music!!!

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In music class, I always enjoy the enthusiasm of my EL sections.  They have always been so ready to sing, dance and MOVE to music!!!

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ELs bring a strength of diversity to the classroom through language and culture.

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All students can benefit from diversity in the classroom, even when it comes to language.

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Working with ELs forces us to think about topics in different perspectives.