Browsed by
Category: vocabulary

How to make vocabulary folders for MLs
How to Create Vocabulary Folders for MLs

How to Create Vocabulary Folders for MLs

Comments 0 Comment

Vocabulary folders are a convenient way to organize vocabulary pages. I used illustrated vocabulary sheets to help my English Language Learners speak and write about new vocabulary. They are also helpful for younger students with spelling. Some primary classroom teachers I supported had a set of these folders on student tables or in a writing center. All students had access to them. I also used them with small groups of ELLs. These folders are simple to set up. Vocabulary Folders…

Read More Read More

Using sentence starters and sentence frames with MLs
Sentence Starters and Frames for MLs

Sentence Starters and Frames for MLs

Comments 0 Comment

Using sentence starters and sentence frames is one strategy to support students in speaking, reading, and writing. A sentence starter is when you give students the beginning part of a sentence and they fill in the rest. A sentence frame is when there are blanks inside a sentence that students fill in. Here are some ways to use sentence stems and frames as a scaffold to support your multilingual learners (MLs). Sentence stems are helpful for getting students started with…

Read More Read More

prefixes suffixes
Prefixes and Suffixes with MLs

Prefixes and Suffixes with MLs

Comments 1 comment

Teaching students the meaning of prefixes and suffixes is a great way to increase their vocabulary. When they know basic prefixes and suffixes they are better able to use context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words. This is true for all students, but it is particularly helpful for Multilingual Learners (MLs), as they may not be familiar with some of the words that have affixes from past exposure. Some suffixes can make changes to words such as tense,…

Read More Read More

Context Clues
Teaching MLs Context Clues

Teaching MLs Context Clues

Comments 0 Comment

Multilingual Learners often read text without fully comprehending all of the words that they are reading. Using context clues are one way to help MLs increase their overall comprehension of the text that they are reading. Many of the strategies for teaching context clues to MLs are similar to when a native English speaker learns this strategy. There are some differences though. Search the Text for Clues There are many vocabulary words where the text has clues to the words…

Read More Read More

Picture Dictionary
Using a Picture Dictionary with MLs

Using a Picture Dictionary with MLs

Comments 0 Comment

Multilingual Learners benefit from seeing pictures as they learn new vocabulary words. Pictures are also beneficial for beginning readers so that they can confirm that the words that they read are accurate. A picture dictionary is a helpful tool for both phonics and vocabulary instruction. Picture Dictionary Organization There are multiple ways that a picture dictionary can be organized. Alphabetically- There are many picture dictionaries available that categorize words by the beginning letter. Many follow a theme. Phonics Patterns- Pictures…

Read More Read More

winter holidays
Winter Holidays for ELLs

Winter Holidays for ELLs

Comments 0 Comment

Holidays can be a fun experience for those students that celebrate them. Some holidays are a great opportunity to teach students about different traditions and infuse fun into learning. For some English Language Learners, they might be unfamiliar with the winter holidays that their classmates have celebrated for years. It can be helpful to go over basic holiday traditions and facts before the holiday begins. For American holidays such as Martin Luther King Day, Groundhog Day, or Veterans day most…

Read More Read More

Halloween Activities
Halloween Tips and Activities for MLs

Halloween Tips and Activities for MLs

Comments 0 Comment

Many children look forward to Halloween each year. English Language Learners (ELLs) that are newcomers may not have experienced Halloween in the past or celebrated it in a much different way. These students will benefit from a basic explanation of what the holiday is and the different ways that it is celebrated in their community.  This will help alleviate the confusion that may come up otherwise. Here are some Halloween activities and tips to use as you introduce the holiday…

Read More Read More

figurative langage
Figurative Language for MLs

Figurative Language for MLs

Comments 0 Comment

Figurative language uses figures of speech including metaphors, similes, idioms, and personification. It typically describes something by comparing it with something different. Figurative language can be challenging for multilingual learners to understand. This is particularly true for newcomer and beginning English Language Learners (ELLs) as they are still learning literal language. Here are some strategies and ideas for teaching figurative language to ELLs. Culture plays a role in figurative language. Metacognition helps students to understand when they encounter figurative phrases…

Read More Read More

phonics
Phonics for MLs

Phonics for MLs

Comments 1 comment

Teaching phonics is an important aspect of a literacy program. This is especially true for ELLs. Phonics is the relationship between sounds and the letter or letters used to write them. Phonics connects sounds with letters and combinations of letters. In the English language, there are 26 letters and 44 sounds (called phonemes). A grapheme is how to spell each sound with either a single letter or letter combinations. Phonics helps students learn specific sounds in the English language. For…

Read More Read More

thankful activities
Thankful Activities for MLs

Thankful Activities for MLs

Comments 0 Comment

Integrating the themes of gratitude and being thankful is a common practice around Thanksgiving. These themes are great to teach about throughout the year as well. Here are some thankful activities to use with your students, including a FREE writing activity. I am Thankful Writing   Vocabulary This set comes with vocabulary words to help students tell what they are thankful for. This is a great opportunity to integrate basic vocabulary into a lesson for all students. The vocabulary words…

Read More Read More