2. Another classroom activity that can help ELL students gain an understanding of syntax is by teaching students to elaborate sentences as well as combine choppy sentences Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, (2022). This is a more complex skill for ELL students, and students must be able to write sentences. For students with limited English language acquisition, it would be more beneficial to correct students orally, by asking them to elaborate on their sentence orally instead of writing.

3. One of the teaching activities that can be used for teaching syntax for students with a lower level of English language acquisition is encouraging students to listen and engage in English conversation, including read-alouds, peer work, play, and watching videos. Immersing students in the English language and encouraging the ELL students to practice their English among peers is a suggestion by

   Weebly. (n.d.). However, while students are communicating in English, it is important that the teacher offers syntactical corrections based on the child's level of language acquisition. Students with limited English language acquisition should only be offered corrections that change the meaning of the conversation, while students with more language acquisition can be corrected based on sentence structure.

4. Another suggestion to teach syntax to ELL students bye

   Weebly. (n.d.) is the exlplicit teaching of syntax through prepositions. Prepositions are often a difficult concept for ELL students to understand and would be a topic of discussion, not for early learners of English, but for students with a more advanced English language acquisition. Weebly, (n.d.) suggests teaching prepositions by the example of giving ideas of where a squirrel can go. For example, the squirrel can go in the tree, under the tree, on top of the tree, around the tree, etc..

One free website that can be helpful for ELL students at home or at the library is called "Easy English Grammar Help." This website allows the student to explore syntax through various levels of difficulty.

https://www.englishgrammarhelp.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=274442109&gbraid=0AAAAADjGeGsS29yP8SpDv0D3V0dXl-8q0&gclid=CjwKCAjwqKzEBhANEiwAeQaPVZULkflpiqb9m2qHFBTeW1sL3mkDQ4P4iIBRbOtLUoejmTWhh_IILBoC3z8QAvD_BwE

2. Cognates are a strategy that can be used when teaching semantics. Cognates are words that sound the same in two languages and also have similar meanings. When teaching cognates, this gives the ELL student a sense of confidence that they have knowledge of more words than they realize. However, Weeby (n.d.) warns against false cognates; words that sound similarly but have different meanings. For example, "embarrassed" (English) & "embarazada" (pregnant- in Spanish)) are false cognates as the words sound the same but have different meanings.

3. Weeby (n.d.) suggests that providing a variety of vocabulary activities can increase ELL students' knowledge of English words. The teacher should introduce new words and refer to them in everyday meaning, show pictures, use gestures to explain (for example, moving hands to explain "waves"), and involve students in the dissection of the word and finding it within a text (Weeby, n.d.) For students with low English acquisition skills, gestures and hand motions can be extremely beneficial. For example, if one is teaching animal parts, using one's hands to show antlers or an elephant's nose can be very successful in teaching.

4. When defining a word Weeby (n.d.) suggests that the word's semantic relationships should be discussed as well, giving the student a more in-depth understanding of the word. These include hyponyms, meronyms, synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms. Hyponyms and meronyms can be successful in teaching younger ELL students. For example, when explaining "dog" the student can identify each part of the dog's body; snout, paws, tail, fur. Once a student has a better English language acquisition, they will be able to identify synonyms and antonyms, and also understand homonyms.

Word Frog https://www.arcademics.com/games/frog is an online website that encourages students to practice synonyms, antonyms, and homophones. The more the student answers correctly, the more their frog will eat.

2. Another important resource that can be used within the classroom is the use of push-in by the TESOL teachers as much as possible. The TESOL teacher can get a feel for the culture of the classroom, and help navigate ELL students' language through play and language immersion (Weebly, n.d.).

3. Kagan organizational charts are another great tool for helping ELL students navigate pragmatics. One particular Kagan strategy that can be helpful is that of sentence frames. Students work with another student to complete a sentence, such as "I like ___". Student discourse through a framed structure can help an ELL student practice spoken language skills and engage in social language immersion (Weebly, n.d.).

4. Another strategy to teach pragmatics within the classroom is to focus on explicit instruction of politeness (Weebly, n.d.). At the beginning of the year, the teacher should discuss the rules and expectations of the classroom. However, as situations arise that require politeness, the teacher should use these opportunities to teach the ELL students the meaning, purpose, and appropriate language of politeness within the classroom while comparing it to their cultural background.

ESLKidGames https://www.eslkidsgames.com/online-esl-games#google_vignette offers a variety of ESL games for students. In particular, there is a plethora of vocabulary games, including "Guess the word", "ESL Scattegories," and, "Would You Rather."

YouTube. (n.d.). RSA ANIMATE: Language as a Window into Human Nature. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-son3EJTrU

2. Colorin Colorado offers a fantastic article on the use of cognates when teaching ELL students. It also gives a list of several cognates to start with and explains how using cognates to teach ELL students can improve English learning.

Colorin Colorado. (2007). Using cognates to develop comprehension in English. Colorin Colorado. https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/using-cognates-develop-comprehension-english

3. This video offers a pre-reading approach to understanding how print evolves into reading. It is a great video for TESOL teachers and parents of ELL students.

Colorin Colorado. (n.d.). Becoming Aware of Print. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gZ1z1TzYHc&t=11s

4. The article Walking in My Students' Shoes: An ESL Teacher Brings Theory to Life in Order to Transform Her Classroom is a real-life account of one teacher's exploration of learning a second language and the personal difficulties she encountered and overcame. The author used her personal experience with immersion in a second language to influence the culture of her classroom.

Stewart, M. A. (2010). Walking in my students’ shoes: An ESL teacher brings theory to life in order to transform her classroom. Networks: An Online Journal for Teacher Research, 12(1), 1–6. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.4148/2470-6353.1095

5. The Effects on Instructional Conversations on English Language Learners follows two groups of students learning English. One group was taught using Conversational Activities in mathematics, and the other was taught using traditional methods of teaching. This article shows the importance of using conversational English within the classroom to teach pragmatics.

   
   

   Hendy, E., & Cuevas, J. (2020). The effects on instructional conversations on English language learners. Georgia Educational Researcher, 17(2).

Weebly. (n.d.). What is pragmatics? Linguistics for teachers of ELLs. https://linguisticsforteachersofells.weebly.com/pragmatics-in-the-classroom.html

Weebly. (n.d.). What is semantics? Linguistics for teachers of ELLs. https://linguisticsforteachersofells.weebly.com/semantics-in-the-classroom.html

Weebly. (n.d.). What is syntax? Linguistics for teachers of ELLs. https://linguisticsforteachersofells.weebly.com/syntax-in-the-classroom.html