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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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summer learning
Summer Learning Tips for ELLs

Summer Learning Tips for ELLs

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Encourage students to continue learning throughout the summer. Here are some summer learning ideas to help kids have fun and keep learning to share with parents or use in a summer school program. Practice Native Language It might seem counterintuitive, but the summertime is a great opportunity for ELLs to practice their home language. International trips this year might still be postponed. Students can practice speaking their native language at home, reading books in their native language, or learning how…

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speaking and writing with ELLs
Integrating Speaking and Writing for ELLs

Integrating Speaking and Writing for ELLs

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Speaking and writing are two components of language development. With elementary-aged students, the typical progression is that students 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. For older students, some may be more comfortable writing down ideas before speaking. Integrating speaking and writing provides English Language Learners with additional and opportunities for vocabulary development….

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10 Spring Books for English Language Learners

10 Spring Books for English Language Learners

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Spring is a great time to read books about the environment, animal and plant life cycles, and other outdoor topics. For English Language Learners (along with all students) it is important to read books with characters from diverse backgrounds. Try and integrate characters with similar backgrounds as the students you work with so that they can see kids that are similar to themselves in the books that they are reading and listening to. Here is a list of spring books…

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Diverse Leveled Readers for ELLs
Diverse Leveled Readers for ELLs

Diverse Leveled Readers for ELLs

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It is important for children to be exposed to diverse books as they are learning how to read. Many teachers are examining their classroom library and adding more diverse books to their collection. Guided reading is also an important component of a balanced literacy program. Some teachers are lucky to teach in a school with a well-stocked book room. In other cases, many of the books at the lower levels are not age-appropriate for older ESOL students and do not…

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would you rather
Using Would You Rather Questions with ELLs

Using Would You Rather Questions with ELLs

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Help students tell about their opinion and develop critical thinking skills. Would you rather questions are fun ways for students to practice speaking and writing. Here are some ideas for using them with your English Language Learners. Speaking Warm-Up When meeting with a small group of students use would you rather questions as a way to get students talking in a structured way. Choose a question then have each student answer the question.  Students can then tell why they choose…

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Digital Newcomer Vocabulary

Digital Newcomer Vocabulary

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Learning basic vocabulary will help newcomer students improve in all areas of English development. Students with basic reading skills can benefit from reading simple sentences and matching pictures with words. Google slides is one format students can use the practice new vocabulary. Learn more about teaching newcomer ELLs.  Accessibility Tools For students that are not able to read in English, having a screen reader can help them improve their English. Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader– This extension…

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Picture matching for ELLs
Picture Matching for ELLs

Picture Matching for ELLs

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Matching pictures with text is one strategy to assist English Language Learners and primary students with reading comprehension and vocabulary development. Students can match pictures in a range of ways. This includes matching pictures with words or sentences. Here are some ideas for using picture matching with ELLs. Match Pictures with Words Choose pictures from a text that students are reading or relevant vocabulary words. Depending on the choices of words, students are able to practice beginning and ending sounds…

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Asking & Answering Questions for ELLs
Asking & Answering Questions with ELLs

Asking & Answering Questions with ELLs

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One important critical thinking skill is asking and answering questions. This is also an important way that students deepen their understanding of what they are reading. Additionally, this is also one component of language development. Students may need assistance with the syntax and sentence structure of asking and answering questions. Here are some tips to support asking and answering questions for ELLs. Supporting ELLs in Formatting Questions Depending on a students language level, they will require different amounts of language…

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