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Supporting ELLs in Math
Something magical happened at my school three years ago that opened my eyes to one of the true needs of English Language Learners. Our school piloted a program that was completely unheard of in our school district. I had the honor of being a part of this life changing experience. We took part in the first newcomer program. During the day 50 newcomers in grades 6-8 we a part of sheltered instruction. In our school setting, newcomers had a science, social studies, and an ESL class from an ESL teacher. Math was taught to by grade level math teachers, who had an interest and desire of supporting English Language Learners.…
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Supporting ELLs in Social Studies
Social Studies was always one of my favorite subjects. I loved hearing and learning the history of others. However social studies can present a challenge to many of our English Language Learners. I think it is the perfect connection to English Language Arts, and to extend some of those same strategies in Social Studies. Take time to build background knowledge Social Studies requires a lot of background knowledge for English Language Learners. It is key that you take time to build background knowledge about the topics that they will be encountering. For example, if students are learning about the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, you would want to…
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Supporting ELLs in Science
The English Language Learners that I have taught have always loved science! It was their favorite subject, and it is easy to see why they love science. Science is filled with visuals, diagrams, and hands on processes. Out of all the subjects I found science the easiest to support ELLs for this very reason. Over the years I have picked up some strategies of supporting ELLs in Science that I would love to share with you today! Take advantage of the diagrams and processes that are available in science. If you can use a diagram or visual of a process with your ELLs do it! This is a great scaffold…
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The Speaking App that can Transform your Classroom
I stumbled onto FlipGrid by chance. I was searching for speaking apps and this one popped up on my google search. While I was exploring the app, I noticed all of the features that can beneficial to English Language Learners. FlipGrid is a video discussion platform that is being used in classrooms around the world. I loved that is resembles students favorite social media platflorms such as SnapChat and Instagram. This had students more motivated to participate in the activities. Here is how you can use FlipGrid in your ESL classroom. Flip your Discussion Questions Before or after teaching a lesson post a discussion question on flipgrid instead of the…
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How to balance multiple level ESL students: 3 Strategies for your ESL Classroom
ESL teachers around the world all have the same question….”How do I teach when I have 4 or 5 different levels of ELLs in my classroom?” This may seem overwhelming at first, especially when you first start teaching. Even if you are a veteran teacher you can still feel overwhelmed by having various levels in your classroom. Here are some strategies in how you can balance multiple level English Learners in your classroom. Keep it Simple You are probably thinking that is easier said than done, but I promise you this is a strategy that can transform how you teach and support multiple level English Language Learners. You can teach…
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Setting up your ESL class for the new school year
My first year of teaching I had a lot of random items all over my room. Posters in my room were not hung, and the who area was in a disarray. I tried “decorating” my room, but I was told by veteran teacher in what’s the point of doing that when you have more important things to be doing. However that view took a drastic turn when my teacher mentor came in and explained to me why the thinking and statement of that teacher was incorrect. My mentor teacher explained that students see the classroom as a safe space. If a teacher has a disorganized classroom and items have no…
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ESL Teacher Self Care
I can remember staying until 6pm every school day trying to cram in as much work as I could. I was even waking up on Saturday and Sunday working hours on end with lesson planning. Finally, it all blew up in my face. I was at a breaking point and I knew what I was doing wasn’t sustainable. My husband had started to ask me …. “Why are you working till almost 6 everyday?” He was starting to see that I was exhausting myself. In the middle of my third year teaching, I started to notice teachers quitting because they were so overwhelmed with the workload. I also started hearing…
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ESL Teacher Collaboration with Mainstream Teachers (Strategies & Tips)
Building relationships with mainstream teachers is essential! Having a strong professional relationship with mainstream teachers makes advocating and supporting your English Languages so much easier. Here are some tips and strategies you can implement in your efforts to building relationships with mainstream teachers. Building a relationship with the mainstream establishes trust and mutual respect. By building a relationship you start see how the mainstream teaches and operates his/her classroom. You will also develop a mutual respect for the teacher that will be reciprocated if nurtured throughout the school year. This will help tremendously if you are co-teaching/pushing in for the school year. You can start off by building a relationship…
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Six Strategies to Do Now for Your ESL Classroom
As an ESL teacher you may be wondering what can you do RIGHT NOW to prepare for the upcoming school year. Before the school year starts is a great opportunity to get prepared and gather yourself for the upcoming school year. I would like to share with you six strategies that you can do right now to get your school year off to a successful start. Taking time for self-care The past school year has been so hectic for me as a teacher. I tried to prepare for EVERYTHING and in doing so I simply overwhelmed myself. There were also some instances where it was the exact opposite. I should…
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Here’s what I loved and would want to change about my 2018-19 school year
Every year (with the exception of my first year teaching) I develop a plan over the summer. This plan is tailored for the needs of my ELLs for the school year. In the past years I have planned every aspect of my classroom. For the 2018-19 school year, I decided to do things a differently. I had some great moments, and some “what in the world was I thinking” moments. Here is what I loved and what I would change about my 2018-2019 school year: I loved how my students entered the classroom! Every day my students would clock in, pick up their materials, and start on their assignment. At…
