I have been relying on ordering books online much more during the past few months (Boy do I miss going to my public library and thrift stores!) Amazon is probably one of the best-known sites for books. There are many others, including sites that offer used or overstock books at a low cost. Here is a list where you can buy used books online or get them for free. Online Used Book Stores Better World Books– This site has a…
Worksheets are one way to give students practice with a specific skill. One way to take a traditional worksheet and make it more interactive is to cut apart the worksheet. You can then use the cut up questions in a number of ways. This can help keep some students more engaged then completing worksheets in the traditional way. Interactive Notebook After completing a worksheet how often do students look back at them? If the answer is never, consider setting up…
A brain break allows students to take a short break from learning and refocus their attention. This can be particularly important to ELLs as they are not only absorbing new content but are processing a new language as well. Movement Especially for younger children incorporating movement into a brain break will help to keep their attention for further learning. Act like an animal- Name an animal and have students move like that animal. Stretching- One person can be the leader…
Phonemic awareness refers to the ability to identify and manipulate phonemes in spoken words. It is also the understanding that the sounds of spoken language work together to make words (Reading Rockets.) All students in preschool and many in the primary grades are learning phonemic awareness skills. Teaching phonemic awareness skills to young ELLs is similar to their native English peers. Older ELLs benefit from short and targeted instruction and practice with the sounds of English. Exposure to the Sounds…
Here is a collection of digital learning tips and resources to use with ELLs. Teaching Online If your school is moving towards digital learning and you will be teaching online due to the Corona Virus, here are some things to keep in mind. Make plans for students that do not have access to technology. One alternative is to provide packets of work. Start with using digital tools that students are familiar with and then slowly introduce new platforms as you…
Students at the beginning stages of writing need support with vocabulary development. One way to give this is to have students label pictures. This supports English Language Learners and beginning writers in learning new vocabulary and using beginning sounds. Here are some benefits of having students label pictures before they begin writing. Vocabulary Support As students label a picture they are getting practice writing the vocabulary word. For ELLs, they might not know what all of the objects and actions…
Creating a mini book is a simple way to quickly make a large number of books for reading and writing. You can teach students how to fold a mini book with simple to follow directions. Students can then use blank mini books for drawing and writing. Mini books are also a simple way to add to the number of simple to read books that students have access to. Learn how to fold a mini book with these step by step…
Students enjoy getting small gifts during the school year. You can give students gifts for their birthday, a holiday, or the end of the school year. They don’t have to be expensive. They also don’t need to be candy. Many of these gifts make fun classroom incentives as well. Target or the Dollar Store often have many of these items. If you prefer to shop online or want to buy in larger quantities Amazon has some deals. Disclosure: This post…
Snacking is a great way to get a quick burst of energy. Snacks for teachers need to be easy to store and not messy. As an ESOL teacher I often only had a few minutes to grab a snack or needed something that I could eat while I was prepping for my next group. For a short time, I got a snack subscription box (Graze). It was fun to get new snacks each month and all of them were easy…
Myths can be exciting stories for students to learn about. A myth is a story that plays a fundamental role in society. They often tell the origins of why something is set up the way that it is. The main characters often are gods or have supernatural powers. For ELLs, myths can be both exciting stories and challenging. One of the challenges is that the events take place in the past and might contain references that the student is unfamiliar…