FREE ESL Curriculum Guide
There is a wide range of Language Learners. Some students may have a strong educational background in their native country. You might have some students who have interrupted schooling. There are others who might have gone to school, but only for a few years. When they arrive in your classroom ready to learn, you have a melting pot of situations. I want you to know you are not alone. I would like to share with you some effective tips I have used in my classroom. PLUS provide you with an ESL Curriculum Map for the school year.
You need a plan. I cannot stress this to you enough. Before you get into how you are going to teach the students, you first need to determine what you are teaching. This means sitting down and mapping out your lessons for the year. It does not have to be detailed, but you do need to guide of what you are teaching. I know a common struggle is not having a curriculum. That is why I want to provide you with an ESL Curriculum Guide that will provide you with topics and ideas for the school year. If you do have textbooks, look at the table of contents in your textbook for topics. The table of contents can be your guide in creating your plans.
Using stations in your newcomer classroom is beneficial. Stations are so much fun and students simply love them. Who doesn’t want to be independent? In my classroom, I have a listening station, speaking station, writing station, and work with-teacher station. This allows me to address the needs of all the ELLs (English Language Learners) in my classroom. Here is the secret to making stations successful: You need a PLAN! Make sure you explicitly teach the procedures of each station. You can use the ESL Curriculum Guide and/or your own guide to determine the stations.
“I’m Done!” When I first started teaching students screamed those words all day. I really had to take a deep look at what I was doing in my classroom. I discovered that the content I was providing some of my newcomers was simply too easy. If the students can complete an activity in 5 minutes, the activity is not rigorous enough for their levels. How did I solve this problem? I planned for three different levels of ELLs. Now the words “I’m Done” are nonexistent in my classroom.
When creating your classroom content make the lessons concrete and tangible. To make lessons tangible and concrete include visuals, videos, manipulatives, and field trips. For example, you are teaching about classrooms around the world. To make the lesson concrete for your newcomers you can include videos and pictures of classrooms around the world.
Engaging content is so important in a classroom. Take a survey of what the students are interested in, and include some of the topics they love. Finally, stay consistent in your classroom. Consistency speaks so loudly with students. Also, if something is not working don’t be afraid to say this is not working and change it up!
If you need help in planning your lessons, DOWNLOAD THE ESL CURRICULUM GUIDE! I would love to hear about how you are teaching newcomers in your classroom. Leave a comment below with your tips and questions.
