Tips to Planning without an ESL Curriculum
When I first started teaching, I had no idea what to teach! Coming from a structured corporate background I was confused by what were the expectations. I searched high and low and could not locate a curriculum for my English Language Learners. It was so difficult because I did not have a roadmap for my students. I found myself aimlessly wandering around on the internet looking for worksheets.
It also was a part of my on the fly planning. This lead me to be unprepared for many of my classes. I finally decided that something needed to change. Let’s dive in some ways you can plan for your ELLs without a curriculum.
Download the ESL Curriculum Guide. This guide will help provide you with topics and lesson ideas. The ESL Curriculum Guide has a year worth of topics that can be used in your classroom. You can use the ESL Curriculum Guide with newcomers and intermediate ELLs.
Free curriculum is offered through many non-profit organizations. One of my favorites is Core Knowledge. Even though this is not an ESL curriculum, it is an amazing resource. You can use the ESL Curriculum Guide for your topics. Then go to Core Knowledge to find free texts, lesson plans, and visuals. You will be able to provide full lessons with resources. In most of the free lessons, there is recommended scaffolds and supports for ELLs.
Use Ted Talks and news articles in your classroom. I recently visited a conference where they spoke of how you can use Ted Talks in your classroom. As I was reflecting, I was thinking about how powerful that can be with ELLs. First, this will be a great listening opportunity. Students will also be able to write, speak, and read about the topic. Once you chose a Ted Talk then you can supplement it by building background knowledge. This can include finding leveled readers and other supporting videos.
Remember you need a plan. Think about how you are going plan and prepare for your ELLs. Plan out the topic for the year, and find supporting resources. If you get stuck, there is the ESL Curriculum Guide available for download. In the comments share how you are planning for your ELLs.
