Teaching ideas for those teaching English Language Learners
Speaking and writing are two components of language development. With elementary-aged students, the typical progression I see is that they progress more quickly in speaking than in writing. This is most likely due to the fact that all students at that age are learning writing, while speaking is a natural way that children socialize. Integrating…
Sometimes at the end of the school year teachers have a little more flexibility with lessons. It is easier to spend time on projects. At the same time student are often full of energy and need highly engaging activities. Here are some activities for ELLs to try at the end of the school year. STEM…
Here is a collection of books about mothers from diverse cultures and backgrounds. All are great books to read about around Mother’s Day. Some of the books can be used as read alouds for newcomers and students learning about family. Most celebrate different ways that mothers are special. Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links,…
English Language Learners benefit from easy access to sight words and from seeing vocabulary words in many places. It is important to refer to word walls and other labels to help students get into the habit of using them. Here are some ways to display words around your classroom to support ELLs. Interactive Word Walls…
Reading fluency is one of the 5 components that are necessary when a child is learning how to read. Fluency is the ability to read words accurately, with appropriate speed, and with expression. This is not alway possible. For English Language Learners (ELLs) there can be the added challenge that they may not immediately know…
April is National Poetry Month, which makes it a great time for writing poetry. Any point in the year is also a great time to have students write poems. For English Language Learners, writing poetry can be a welcome change from other forms of writing. Many of the traditional writing conventions are not as strictly…
Poetry is a wonderful genre to share with students. For ELLs, it is a great way to expose them to rhyming words and other ways to play with words. Poems are typically short and lend themselves well to being read out loud. This helps build students reading fluency and oral language skills. Poetry is also…
Mood and tone are closely connected concepts. Tone is the author’s attitude towards the topic. Mood is the overall feeling the reader gets when they are reading the text. Mood is particularly subjective. The important part is that students are able to defend their reasoning with evidence. Here are some ideas for teaching these topics…
Students are more easily able to retain information when they are engaged and having fun. Games are a fun way to do both. Here are some great games to help your ELLs practice vocabulary and other language skills. Check out a few games for ELLs to add to your collection. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate…
Word sorts are one way to help students learn spelling patterns. Students are able to focus on two or three patterns instead of trying to memorize a list of words. They are then better able to apply those spelling patterns to new words that follow a similar pattern. Here are some ways to set up…