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How I Became More Intentional with My ELLs
I was waiting anxiously to see how my students had performed on the language proficiency assessment. I knew after a year of hard work my students were the best in the state. After looking at the data from ELLs I knew I needed to make an immediate change. I was teaching my heart out, but the data was not in line with it. I could not figure out what in the world I was doing wrong. Was it my instruction? Was I not being intentional with the data? Was I analyzing the wrong data? I spent half the summer breaking down the data, but I still did not understand where…
- New ELLs Checklist
When new English Language Learners arrive at the school, we complete a checklist to ensure that the students have everything they need to succeed. We also want to be compliance.
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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…
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Let’s Start This Class Off Right
Setting the tone of your classroom is something that every teacher should make a priority. In this blog post I will provide you with examples from my classroom on how I set a positive tone with my students. When the students enter the classroom I have them sign in. The students feel as if they are going to work. I also love that it creates independence. You can even link an incentive to the sign-in process. For example, if my students sign-in on time everyday they get points they can cash-in for rewards. You can also use these sign-in sheets to show parents/guardians when the students are getting into class.…
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Creating Independence in an ESL Classroom
We all love independence! Independence is weaved throughout our lives and with us everyday. How do you bring independence into your ESL classroom? In my first year of teaching that was one of my biggest struggle. I was literally running all over the place! All I heard during class was “Teacher!” After my first year , I vowed to search for the secret. I knew it had to be a complicated formula. What was the secret? The answer is so simple. Routines and consistency is they key to bringing independence in your classroom. Here are some tips that you can use in your classroom. Establish Expectations The first step…
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7 Effective Tips to Survive Testing Season with your ELLs
Surviving Testing It is here! Testing season…it is almost like it should get it’s own season. For English Language Learners this can be an extremely stressful time for your students. There have been many times that the ELLs burst into tears, anxiously clicked through the exams, and asked to take 20 bathroom breaks. I am not a strong believer of “survival mode” however I found myself there when it comes to testing season. This past month my students had a district Common Assessment, WIDA, IREADY, and MAP Assessments. They are also preparing for the upcoming state assessments. Initially I was going through the motions when this time of year came…
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Literacy Stations for ELLs
I simply love using stations in my classroom. The students are very engaged with the activity, and it is a great way to create independence in your classroom. The students, with the proper routines and procedures, are engaged and working efficiently. Here are some stations that I use in my classroom to promote independence and to encourage academic achievement. The first station that I use is vocabulary station. At the vocabulary stations I usually have different activities the students can do. For example, I have a vocabulary activity called Scrabble Tiles. The students use scrabble tiles to spell out vocabulary words. Then they use those words in sentences. Another activity…
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Getting My ESL Class Funded on Donors Choose (My Ups and Downs)
In the beginning I struggled with getting funded on Donor’s Chose. My students in my ELL classroom needed technology and new books. I would post a project for $1200, and let it sit there hoping it get funded. I didn’t realize at the time that I need to put in some elbow grease to get the project funded. Within a year I have had a total of 10 projects funded with Donor’s Chose! I have included some tips on how you can get your project funded on Donor’s Chose. Reach out to all your family and friends first. I always make them aware that I am trying to fund a…
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ESL Speaking Activities: Numbered Heads
Que? Shuh? Que Dijo? I constantly was hearing the words “what?” in a wide range of languages. My students were simply not speaking in English. I knew I need to make a drastic change. After attending a conference, I was introduced to Numbered Heads. It turned into such a huge success in my classroom. I can remember when I first tried it two years ago, and was thinking could this ever work for my newcomers. I am here to tell you that it works! It increases engagement and holds the students accountable during discussion time. I am here to explain how you can incorporate this activity for newcomer ELLs. This…
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Getting Your ELLs to Speak: Practical Tips for Your Classroom
Yes. No. I see the dog. These are how my students sentence complexity was on a daily basis. At first I was okay with them speaking this way, as long as they were speaking. Year after year I noticed my students were not making significant growth on the end of the year language assessment. The problem was right in my face. I was not being intentional with my speaking lessons. I also realized my students were not speaking in compound and complex sentences. I was so excited to hear the ESL students speaking, that I wasn’t setting high expectations as to HOW the should be speaking. After some serious reflection,…
