Do's & Don'ts For Teaching English-Language Learners

The number of English-Language Learners in the United States is growing rapidly, including many states that have not previously had large immigrant populations. As teachers try to respond to the needs of these students, here are a few basic best practices that might help. We have found that consistently using these practices makes our lessons more efficient and effective. Modeling Do model for students what they are expected to do or produce, especially for new skills or activities, by explaining and demonstrating the learning actions, sharing your thinking processes aloud, and showing good teacher and student work samples. Don't just tell students what to do and expect them to do it. Rate of Speech and Wait Time Do speak slowly and clearly, and provide students with enough time to formulate their responses, whether in speaking or in writing. Don't speak too fast, and if a student tells you they didn't understand what you said, never, ever repeat the same thing in a louder voice!

Using Photos With English Language Learners "A picture is worth a thousand words." -- Unknown Though the origin of this popular adage is unclear, one thing is clear: using photos with English-Language Learners (ELLs) can be enormously effective in helping them learn far more than a thousand words -- and how to use them. Usable images for lessons can be found online or teachers and students can take and use their own. The activities presented below connect to multiple Common Core Standards including the following ELA Standards: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. Picture Word Inductive Model The Picture Word Inductive Model (PWIM) is one of our favorites. Research has shown that it is an effective way for students to learn to develop vocabulary and to read. Thought Bubbles Picture Dictation Bloom's Taxonomy Image Detective

Eight Ways to Use Video With English Language Learners This blog was co-authored by Katie Hull Sypnieski. This post is excerpted from their new book, The ESL/ELL Teacher's Survival Guide: Ready-to-Use Strategies, Tools, and Activities for Teaching English Language Learners of All Levels. "I like the way you use videos with us -- you get us moving, talking, writing and speaking. We can think of far worse things a student might say to us, and John's comment demonstrates our perspective on using video with English-Language Learners (and, for that matter, with all students) -- research and our experience show that it can be a very effective learning tool, but it has to be used as an active one. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. 1. "Critical Pedagogy" is the term often used to describe a teaching approach whose most well-known practitioner was Brazilian educator Paulo Freire. Describe what you see: Who is doing what? 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Ideas for E.L.L.s | 'Gangnam Style,' Emotion Words and More “Long Division Style,” a parody of PSY’s “Gangnam Style” made by a Brooklyn teacher and her students. Go to related SchoolBook post » Each month we post a list of ideas for English Language Learners written by teacher and “edublogger” Larry Ferlazzo. Sometimes, like last month’s on the presidential election, they focus on a timely theme, while others, like this edition, pull from a variety of Times content. The goal of all of our E.L.L. posts, however, is to suggest ways to make The Times accessible for a range of learners. Let us know if you have ideas, too. Times Videos Using Video Clips The Times’s video page has a very useful search engine, and searching the word “clip” brings up many short clips from movies and television shows that can be effective with this simple strategy, adapted from the book “Zero Prep”: Divide into pairs with one student facing the screen and the other with his or her back to it. For example, there’s this segment from a Nickelodeon show called “Yo Gabba Gabba.”

Express 8.02 - Strategies for Teaching English Learners and Students with Learning Disabilities Strategies for Teaching English Learners and Students with Learning Disabilities John Carr As a researcher, I have always been interested in learning about the instructional strategies that work for students with learning disabilities, for English language learners, and for students in general. I began my search with Classroom Instruction That Works (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001), a synthesis of research on strategies for students in general, and Classroom Instruction That Works with English Learners (Hill & Flynn, 2006). From these two sources, I went on to look for other effective strategies for students with learning disabilities that fit the following criteria: The strategy should not be entirely new so that teachers don't feel overloaded. Based on these criteria, I discovered six instructional strategies that research suggests are effective for native English speakers and English learners (Carr, Sexton, & Lagunoff, 2007; Carr et al., 2009). Six Strategies Scenario References