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How to Improve Oral Language Skills for MLs
How to Improve Oral Language Skills for MLs

How to Improve Oral Language Skills for MLs

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Oral Language skills are the combination of speaking and listening. It is how people communicate verbally. A student’s oral language skills have a significant impact on how well they understand many school subjects, including reading, writing, and math. According to WIDA, oral language includes linguistic complexity (the amount and variety of language used), language forms and conventions (variety of grammatical structures and conventions), and vocabulary usage (general and technical language). All students, especially multilingual learners (MLs), need practice with oral…

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goal setting
Setting Language Goals with MLs

Setting Language Goals with MLs

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Goal setting is helpful for students to reflect on their learning. Students can set goals at any point in the year. Setting language goals for Multilingual Learners (MLs) is particularly beneficial at the beginning of the school year, at the beginning of the calendar year, and before beginning WIDA or other language testing. For English Language Learners (ELLs), setting a language goal helps them to become aware of how they are progressing in learning the English Language. This can look…

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Tips for Practicing Listening Skills with MLs
Tips for Practicing Listening Skills with MLs

Tips for Practicing Listening Skills with MLs

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Listening skills are important language skills for students. Students are constantly listening, but it can be challenging to develop hands-on activities where listening is the focus. Here are some ideas to help your students practice their listening skills while learning English. Follow Directions Map practice: Give students a simple neighborhood or park map picture. Give simple directions and have them move around the map and find the final location. Drawing: Have two students sit on either side of a divider….

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Language Domains Read Speak Listen Write with MLs
Language Domains: Read Speak Listen Write with MLs

Language Domains: Read Speak Listen Write with MLs

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The four language domains of reading, speaking, listening, and writing are all important components of learning a new language. The domains often overlap. One area can benefit from practice on the same topic in a different language domain. A student’s background knowledge plays an important role in how quickly they progress in these domains during a particular unit. Whenever possible, create lessons that give students practice in multiple language domains. Reading  Learning how to read is complex and made up…

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comparing contrasting
Comparing and Contrasting with MLs

Comparing and Contrasting with MLs

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Learning how to compare and contrast are higher-order thinking skills and an important component of reading comprehension. They are also a great way for students to practice language skills and build academic language. When students compare they look for things that are the same. When they contrast they look for items that are different. Here are some activities to introduce comparing and contrasting to students. Comparing and Contrasting with Pictures Show students two sets of pictures. Have them compare and…

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digital ESL assessments
Digital ESL Assessments

Digital ESL Assessments

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Like it or not more and more of student learning and assessments are done on the computer. In the short term, this is in large part due to virtual learning. More long term though this is still the trend. Many standardized assessments students take are given digitally. This includes the WIDA language assessment. It is important to give students the opportunity to practice navigating digital ESL assessments before they are expected to take a high stakes one. This will allow…

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Reading Fluency for ELLs

Reading Fluency for ELLs

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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 what a text should sound like in English to compare their own reading to. Do not confuse reading fluency with a students accent.   “Students…

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oral language task cards for ells
Oral Language Task Cards for ELLs

Oral Language Task Cards for ELLs

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What is Oral Language? Oral Language skills are an important component of language development. It is made up of at least five key components (Moats 2010) including phonological skills, pragmatics, syntax, morphological skills, and vocabulary. Students need opportunities throughout the day to practice their speaking and listening skills. For English Language Learners this is particularly important so that students gain proficiency in speaking and listening in English. Research shows that ELLs need a low-anxiety environment, repeated practice, comprehensible input, and drama…

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4 Ways to Support ELLs Writing through Listening and Speaking

4 Ways to Support ELLs Writing through Listening and Speaking

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For many children learning a new language they go through a similar progression of language acquisition. Listening skills come first, then speaking, then reading, finally writing. With this information in mind, I find it helpful to integrate language skills. This also has the added benefit of helping students generate ideas in multiple ways and helping children that learn in different ways to be successful. Here are some ideas to help students listen and talk before they begin writing, including Speak…

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Describing Characters & a Freebie

Describing Characters & a Freebie

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I’ve been working with my first grades on using adjectives to describe characters.  They did a great job of using evidence from the books to describe their answers.  Even my lower language students were able to participate. We read two books: Llama Lama mad at mama & Yoko.           First I showed students pictures of character emotions.  They shared examples of when they felt various emotions.  Then as I read the books they would identify how the…

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