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Category: vocabulary

Picture Dictionary
Using a Picture Dictionary with MLs

Using a Picture Dictionary with MLs

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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…

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winter holidays
Winter Holidays for ELLs

Winter Holidays for ELLs

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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…

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Halloween Activities
Halloween Tips and Activities for MLs

Halloween Tips and Activities for MLs

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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…

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prefixes suffixes
Prefixes and Suffixes with MLs

Prefixes and Suffixes with MLs

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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,…

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figurative langage
Figurative Language for MLs

Figurative Language for MLs

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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…

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phonics
Phonics for MLs

Phonics for MLs

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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…

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thankful activities
Thankful Activities for MLs

Thankful Activities for MLs

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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…

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Thanksgiving activites
Thanksgiving Activities for MLs

Thanksgiving Activities for MLs

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Thanksgiving is an opportunity to integrate American culture into lessons. Some ELLs will have celebrated Thanksgiving their entire life.  These students will be able to share their family’s traditions around the holiday. Other students will have never experienced the holiday before and will benefit from a basic overview of what the holiday is. Here are some Thanksgiving activities to use for integrating the topic of Thanksgiving into your November lessons. Include Multiple Perspectives As you teach students about Thanksgiving, here…

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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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fall teaching ideas
Fall Teaching Ideas for MLs

Fall Teaching Ideas for MLs

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Fall is a great time to teach about changes. If you live in an area where the leaves change colors during the fall, this might be a new experience for English Language Learners that are new to the country. Apples and pumpkins are also popular fall themes. Here are some ideas for teaching about the fall to ELLs. Create text sets with longer articles and books that you read to students and short passages and books that they read independently…

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