Planning Strategies
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Common Mistakes When Looking for Resources (How to fix it)
We are going to start off today’s episode with your reflection question. Do you struggle with finding resources? If so, why? Take a moment to reflect on this question. Think about this question and answer to yourself honestly about where you stand. Have you ever spent your entire planning period searching or scanning for resources? This is the biggest struggle that most teachers have when it comes to supporting Language Learners. When speaking to educators like yourself, they consistently say they are constantly on the hamster wheel of looking for resources. Day after day I hear this from educators. A lot of them share stories of being overwhelmed because they…
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Time Management Tips for ESL Students
Hey! Welcome back to this amazing school year. Let’s start off this blog with a reflection question. Take a moment to reflect on this question. Think about this question and answer to yourself honestly where you stand. How are you doing with your time management at school? One thing that most of us wish for is more time during the day. Our school days are usually packed with testing, teaching, meetings, professional development, and tons of other activities. Then to top it off you might have random meetings thrown in throughout the school day. This is so many of us throughout the school year. Last school year, I felt that…
- Building Relationships, Classroom Strategies, Newcomers, Planning Strategies, Speaking Activities, Teaching Strategies
Social & Emotional Support for Language Learners
Welcome to My Adventures in ESL! In this week’s blog I will be speaking with John Burnett about how to support the social and emotional health of Language Learners. In today’s episode, I will be speaking with John Burnett. John has 11 years of experience in education and mental health. Currently he is a middle school counselor. He has also been an elementary school counselor, a Spanish teacher, and an assistant principal. John received his Bachelors in Spanish from the University of Memphis, Masters in School Counseling from Cambridge College, and an EdS in School Administration from Freed Hardeman. John enjoys building bridges and making connections with students, families, and…
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Preparing for Language Assessments
We are going to start off today’s blog with your reflection question. What are some ways you are planning for language assessments in your classroom? Take a moment to reflect on this question. Think about this question and answer to yourself honestly where you stand. For many of us assessment season is right around the corner. This means that a lot of educators can feel a sense of panic when it comes to preparing their students for language assessments. This can lead to cramming before the assessment, feeling unprepared, and overwhelmed by everything that comes along with a language assessment. The thought of the upcoming language assessment season was stressing…
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Planning Using Standards
We are going to start off today’s blog with your reflection question. Are you currently planning using the standards in your classroom? Take a moment to reflect on this question. Think about this question and answer to yourself honestly where you stand. When someone says standards, teachers can tend to shy away or get overwhelmed by thought. The reality is that there are so many standards out there. There are standards for language and there are content level standards. Trying to figure out how to use both in your classroom with your students can make you feel frustrated and overwhelmed. As a new teacher, when I saw the standards I…
- Classroom Strategies, Curriculum, Planning Strategies, Reading Strategies, Teaching Strategies, Writing Strategies
Finding a Curriculum: Tips & Strategies
We are going to start off today’s blog with your reflection question. How are you planning to plan for your Language Learners this school year? Take a moment to reflect on this question. Think about this question and answer to yourself honestly where you stand. One of the biggest obstacles that many professionals who support Language Learners face is the lack of a curriculum. This is the biggest question that educators are asking themselves and others. The most frustrating part of this is that searching and looking for a curriculum can take so much of a teacher’s time. I know this because I have been there, and I am still…
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Strategies to Reduce Your Planning Time this School Year
We are going to start off today’s blog with your reflection question. How much time are you currently spending on your planning? Take a moment to reflect on this question. Think about this question and answer to yourself honestly where you stand. This school year I have already found that my time planning for my Language Learners is slowly creeping up. I wanted to tackle this and get down to the core of the problem before the school year progresses any further. I know a lot of you out there are in the same exact situation. The beginning of the school year I have been loaded up with compliance paperwork.…
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Setting Your Language Learners Up for Success this School Year (and Beyond)
Welcome educators! Before we get started I want to share with you an amazing free tool I have available to you. It is “The Ultimate Guide to a Successful School Year”. In this guide I walk you through how you can take those nervous jitters to have an undeniable confidence throughout the school year. All because you started with these basic steps in the guide. To download the guide go to myadventuresinesl.com/ultimateguide. We are going to start the blog off with your reflection question. How are you preparing your Language Learners for success in your classroom? Take a moment to reflect on this question. Think about this question and answer…
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My Favorite Planning Tools
Welcome all-star teachers! I would still like you to take five minutes and reflect. This can have a huge impact on your teaching. Here is our weekly reflection question: What are some tools that you use every class period that you find effective? The problem a lot of educators encounter is really simple. Sometimes there are WAY too many resources out there for us. They can range from dozens of subscription sites, flashcards, printables and so much more. A lot of us want to minimize our tools and maximize how we are using those tools. At the beginning of every school year, I am always overly excited about the new…
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Planning for Your Planning Period
Welcome all-star teachers! Here is our weekly reflection question: How productive were you on your planning period this school year? A problem many teachers have is how to use their planning period productively. There are many instances where you are scouring through the internet looking for lessons, scrolling through social media, and tons of other activities that may not make your planning period productive. I know because I have been there. Honestly there are some days when I find myself doing the exact same thing and wonder why I am spending the weekend planning. I knew I had to make a change when I was spending way too much time…
