Tesol Clinic

English language learners (ELLs) backgrounds may differ significantly from the average teacher’s. Teachers must learn about their students’ experiences to assist them in the classroom and the school campus. Many ELLs may be Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE), estranged from family, walked hundreds or thousands of miles alone through several countries, or encountered dangerous situations on their journey to the United States. People raised in the U.S. may not comprehend children’s different childhood experiences in poorer countries. Many young ELLs’ backgrounds are difficult for most teachers to grasp.

As an English as a second language (ESL) teacher, I have heard many surprising things from my students. For example, before I had a smartphone with translator applications readily available in my first year of teaching, a student was trying to describe the family house she had left in Mexico. She was having trouble finding the correct words for an accurate description. I kept asking, “Do you mean bricks” or “Is it wood boards,” etc. Finally, I gave up, and we decided to continue our lesson. The next day we were doing an assignment on Native American tribes when she saw a picture of a stick hut with a thatch roof and said, “That is what my house in Mexico is like.” As a new ESL teacher, I was surprised that this wonderful, brilliant student had lived in a hut her entire life. This revelation prompted a discussion about how her family had to fetch water from a nearby stream and had no access to electricity or air conditioning.

Probing students about their personal histories can be invaluable. It can provide insight into students’ perceptions and help their classmates and teachers learn about them and curriculum content. Not only did the discussion with my student help me learn about her background, but it elicited valuable information about life without electricity or running water, similar to the Native Americans we were studying. In this section, I will share a few of the stories I have received from students over the years describing their personal history.

Personal Stories

ELLs’ personal stories can be fascinating, insightful, and essential to understanding their struggles. To truly understand ELLs, you must listen to them describe their past lives in their former countries and their experiences since they arrived in the United States. I will describe the background of three of my former students using pseudonyms to protect their identities. These are old stories from former students who are adults now and permitted me to repeat their accounts.

Kevin from Honduras

Since his older sister, whom he had never met, lived in the New Orleans area, Kevin’s mother decided to send him to live with her. His only means of travel was walking. He was 13 years old. She didn’t have anyone to send with him, so he walked alone through the jungles of Central America into Mexico. His mother arranged for him to stop at strangers’ houses to rest and get more food as he continued the journey. He crossed wide rivers, steaming hot jungles, and dry deserts along this adventure. Once he reached the Rio Grande River at the United States border, he had to swim across the river while avoiding dangerous criminals trying to rob or exploit him and U.S. border patrol agents. After he made it into the U.S., there were many more miles of desert to cross before he could get to a phone to call his sister to come to get him. Finally, he lived with his sister and her husband for years without seeing his mother, father, grandparents, or other siblings for years.

Carlos from El Salvador

Carlos was a happy 13-year-old living in El Salvador with his mother, father, and three siblings. One day on his way home from school, two gang members stopped him and told him he would join the deadly criminal gang or they would kill him. The same criminals had already killed his uncle for refusing to pay them money to operate his store. He told his father what they had told him. His family had no option but to send him away before they killed him or forced him into a life of crime and violence. He headed for the United States alone and on foot. Like Kevin, Carlos traveled the long, treacherous journey to our school district through Central America. A year after he was in my classroom, he received word from his parents that his little sister had been murdered on her way home from school.

Mohammed from Yemen

Mohammed lived in a small village in Yemen with his large extended family. It seemed that he was related to almost everyone he knew. He was happy living with his mother, father, grandparents, and siblings. They didn’t have running water or electricity, but they had plenty to eat, and his family was content. He would walk a donkey with water containers to the river daily to gather water for his mother and prepare food for the family. Then, one day, a civil war began between factions within Yemen and Saudi Arabia seeking to take control of the region. Mohammed’s life changed in an instant. Soldiers attached his village, and his entire family had to move to a refugee camp. After many months in the camp, the United States granted them refugee status and relocated them to our school district. In my classroom, he would often show us pictures of his beloved village and extended family, now scattered across the world.

English language learners (ELLs) need strategic instructional scaffolding to be successful in the classroom. Like all students, ELLs need proper support to achieve their academic goals. This support is even more essential for ELLs since they must acquire English proficiency while reaching curriculum benchmarks and learning targets. Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) must support these students with scaffolding strategies. This section will focus on effective scaffolding strategies teachers can use to support ELLs.

Teachers, I challenge you to imagine moving to a foreign country as a child, without your immediate family, being thrust into a school where almost no one speaks your language, and trying to keep up with the other students in math, science, social studies, and their native language arts. This situation is precisely where our ELLs find themselves. So, teachers must find ways to support them. Otherwise, many will have a much more difficult experience in school, risking behavior problems and underperforming academically. Therefore, scaffolding is an essential element for supporting ELLs academically.

What is Scaffolding for ELLs?

The idea of scaffolding in education comes from how construction workers utilize scaffolding on their job sites. In the construction industry, builders use scaffolding to support themselves and reach heights safely while constructing bridges or tall buildings. In this manner, construction workers can accomplish their objectives safely through support where they would otherwise not have the capacity. Educational scaffolding similarly allows ELLs to achieve academic heights they otherwise would unlikely be able to attain.

ELLs learn best when they have assistance from teachers to complete tasks beyond their capabilities to complete them by themselves by expanding on what they already know and lessons they have already mastered. As ELLs begin to master the content, teachers can start to remove the scaffolding, similar to how builders remove their supports, as the tall building or bridge no longer needs the scaffolding for its construction workers. After the ELLs master one area of content and the scaffolds are removed, they can move on to another with assistance again from the scaffolding.

1. Modeling

It is usually much more productive to show students rather than instruct them. Suppose you have ever needed to work on your car or computer or do anything remotely complicated or new. In that case, it is much easier to learn how to do it by watching someone else than listening to them describe how to do it or read directions. When I work on my car, I watch an instructional video online. For example, is it easier to read guides or watch an instructional video on YouTube?

Teachers should model the learning concepts as much as possible to help all students in their classrooms, especially ELLs.

Think-Aloud

Think-aloud sessions demonstrate to the students how good readers interpret a text and track understanding while reading. In this scaffolding strategy, before the students read the text themselves, the teacher reads the passage aloud, repeatedly stopping to give commentary on their thoughts about the text that may be difficult for students.

Here are some questions students should ask themselves before the think-aloud exercise:

• What do I already know about the topic?
• What do I think I’m going to learn?

Here are some questions students should ask themselves during the exercise:

• What more can I do to better my understanding?
• Do I understand what I just read?

Here are some of the questions they should ask themselves after the exercise:

• What were the most important points?
• What new information did I learn?

Teachers must continue to model during the think-aloud exercise by asking the questions above aloud while reading the passage. Also, teachers should model rereading complex sentences or words that students may struggle to understand. Likewise, teachers should be sure to make predictions using context clues. After the modeling is complete, allow the students to read the passage in groups or with a partner before individually reading it.

2. Activate Prior Knowledge

For best learning results, teachers should build on prior knowledge and understanding.

If you want to teach someone a new skill, they need to expand on the knowledge they already have acquired. For example, if you expect to show a child how to hang a picture, you would build on his prior knowledge of how to use a hammer. Therefore, the teacher must learn students’ knowledge by asking about their experiences and ideas to build on what they already know. These questions help students connect past experiences to the new topic and connect it to their background, increasing engagement.

Useful prior knowledge activation strategies:

• K-W-L Charts
• Anticipation Guides
• Brainstorming Webs
• Think-Pair-Share
• Quick Writes

With the teacher’s assistance, students will connect their past experiences to the new content to make the learning meaningful for them.

3. Promote Classroom Interaction

It is an essential part of the learning process for most students to discuss new topics to gain a better understanding of the new material. This discussion is vital for ELLs to learn a new topic, interact with their classmates, and practice their English listening and speaking skills.

Turn & Talk

Turn and talk refers to the standard strategy teachers have used for years that encourages students to engage each other in discussions of new topics. In this strategy, generally, the teacher provides students with a prompt and has them discuss their knowledge of the topic with a partner. For this strategy to be successful, both participants must speak and listen. The teacher should monitor the discussions and offer input and suggestions as needed. This is a great strategy for ELLs since it does not require the student to speak in front of the entire class, which may intimidate them. It allows them to practice speaking, listening, learning, and sharing their ideas with a partner, which is much less intimidating.

Useful interaction strategy links:

• NUMBERED/COLORED HEADS https://www.teachervision.com/group-work/numbered-heads-together-cooperative-learning-strategy
• FISHBOWL DISCUSSIONS https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/fishbowl
• CONCENTRIC CIRCLES https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/concentric-circles#:~:text=Students%20stand%20in%20two%20concentric,they%20discuss%20a%20new%20question.
• I HAVE, WHO HAS https://littlelearningcorner.com/2019/05/how-to-play-i-have-who-has.html
• CLOCK PARTNERS https://www.readingquest.org/clock_buddies.html
• JIGSAW https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/jigsaw-developing-community-and-disseminating-knowledge
• WRAPS-UP 1,2,3 O’CLOCK https://truthforteachers.com/truth-for-teachers-podcast/total-participation-techniques/

4. Pre-Teach Vocabulary

Pre-teaching vocabulary is one of the most critical steps for scaffolding ELLs learning. This step does not mean having the students define vocabulary words. It is much more than that. Before any lesson begins in any subject, be sure to pre-teach the vocabulary necessary for the students to understand the task or new material. The teacher must pre-teach the essential lesson vocabulary by utilizing word games or diagrams that will allow the student to memorize the meaning of the words permanently. Remember, people learn and retain most information visually. Therefore, students will learn vocabulary words quicker and more precisely if the teacher presents them visually.

An excellent technique for pre-teaching new words is to have students fill out a vocabulary chart that requires the students to draw pictures with examples of the vocabulary words.

Here are a couple of links to worksheets for the vocabulary chart:

https://www.continentalpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Draw-a-Picture.pdf

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Vocabulary-Chart-FREEBIE-834275

Picture dictionaries are useful tools for teaching vocabulary as well. If they are not readily available in your school district, you can petition your school administration to acquire them. They can easily order them online or at most big bookstores.

5. Visual Aids

As stated previously, we mostly learn and retain information visually. This fact is even more applicable for ELLs who may not understand spoken or written language as well as their classmates. Therefore, it is vital that teachers use as many visual aids in their classrooms to assist ELLs’ understanding of new concepts.

Here are some useful visual aid ideas:

• Pictures and drawings
• Charts and diagrams
• Graphic organizers
• Manipulatives
• Video clips

It is important to remember that these resources and scaffolding strategies are valuable tools to assist students when learning new material in lessons. Remember, teachers should remove this scaffolding appropriately once the ELLs no longer need them to learn new things.

Teachers of English language learners (ELLs) will often discover that they are Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE). SIFE is a severe academic issue for many ELLs, school district administrators, schools, and classroom teachers. Consequently, these students usually require special attention and assistance to assimilate into the classroom. This section will discuss these issues and reflect on my experiences working with these often at-risk students.

Ideally, the school district or administrators will have information or documentation about the new ELLs’ educational history, which is often the case. In many instances, the new ELL has a significant gap in their education that is obvious from information provided by a school or immigration records or their family.

This gap can be a complicated problem for grade or school placement. For example, if an ELL comes to a school district at age 16 but hasn’t attended school since the 5^th grade, where do you place him? If you put him in 6^th grade, he would likely share a classroom with 11-year-old girls. If you put him with the age-appropriate 11^th graders, he would be unable to follow the advanced curriculum, especially if he doesn’t have basic English proficiency. This common situation is the conundrum school administrators must address daily nationwide. What to do when the school district admits students into schools without knowing they are SIFE?

Investigating Academic History

The first thing teachers must do is investigate the academic background of the newcomer ELLs in their classrooms. This investigation is critical for discovering gaps in the student’s education. Typically, every student should have their formal academic history documents in their cumulative folder located in the school’s front office, accessible for teachers. If the folders do not provide enough information or the documents are in an unfamiliar foreign language, teachers can contact the school or district English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher for assistance. Once the teacher has the necessary information to determine whether the ELL has experienced significant interrupted formal education, they should take steps to address the situation.

Understanding the SIFE

Why do ELLs experience gaps in their formal education?

Educators must understand the reasons for gaps in English language learners’ formal education. I do not know of an ELL who dropped out of elementary school due to laziness or a lack of parents wanting their child to acquire an education. Some of these students come from high-crime areas of their countries where traveling to school is risky. In these areas, preteens and teenagers are often kidnapped, sex-trafficked, or forced to join dangerous gangs at gunpoint. Another reason may be due to a long journey through rugged and treacherous terrain. This trip may take many months or years before settling in a local school district.

The ELLs Journey

English language learner students’ journey to the United States is often long, arduous, and perilous. Although many ELLs come to our country through airports with well-educated parents with high-paying jobs, this is not always the case. Over the years of teaching ELLs, I have listened to the stories of their trip to our country with awe. I could not imagine walking with strangers for months in the Central American heat through several countries as an adult, unaware of the dangers in my path. To think that many of my students make this journey alone as a child is hard to comprehend. Yet, this is precisely what many of my students have experienced. And on this passage, while most American students live at home with their families and attend safe schools with plenty to eat, these traveling students are missing essential segments of their education.

Speaking about education, a wise school principal once said, “We are in the people business.” This statement is very true, and building positive relationships is a significant aspect of teaching. Using the students’ names is the best foundation for building that relationship. Everyone likes to hear their name. Ask any salesman or person in the hospitality industry, and they will tell you that it is essential to remember their clients’ name and use it whenever they greet them. Names are important in education as well. Whether easy or difficult, teachers must do all they can to get their students’ names right. Correctly spelling and pronouncing English Language Learners (ELLs) names is an easy way to bond with your ELLs. It may not always be easy to accomplish, but that can also be fun for the teacher and the student.

ELLs’ names may be unfamiliar and complicated for many U.S. public school teachers. For instance, most teachers are familiar with the Spanish name Juan. Its spelling and pronunciation should be easy for the average American teacher; however, what if the student is from Brazil and speaks Portuguese? In this instance, the “J” in Juan is usually pronounced like in English. Therefore, although spelled identically, the name is pronounced differently depending on the student’s origin. Still, you can not assume this to be true in every instance because there are always exceptions, even to the most basic assumptions, when it comes to ELL name pronunciations.

Teachers must remember that ELLs will usually not correct the teacher or their classmates who mispronounce their names. Unfortunately, this mispronunciation of ELLs’ names is very common, even among experienced teachers of ELLs. I met a student named Yeimi, the Spanish language equivalent to the prevalent American name Jamie, who had every educator in the school mispronounce her name as “Yimi” for four years of high school. As a new teacher at the school, I could not understand how they never heard the other Spanish-speaking students pronounce her name correctly for those four years. She never corrected any of them.

Make a game of learning the ELLs’ names. ELLs usually enjoy watching their English-speaking teachers struggle to pronounce their names. It is an excellent icebreaker for the new ELLs to see their new teacher attempting to say their names and laughing at themselves. It may take a few days or even a few weeks, but in all my years of teaching ELLs, no matter how exotic the name, I have eventually mastered the pronunciation. This procedure helps the other students in the classroom build a relationship with the ELLs and correctly learn their names’ spelling and pronunciation. This simple process can be surprisingly fun for the teacher and all the students in the classroom.

Creating a welcoming environment for your classroom’s English language learners (ELLs) is critical to teaching ELLs. In this section, I will list some essential things teachers can do to make ELLs feel welcome and appreciated in their classrooms. The first step is to richly decorate the classroom with elements from the ELLs’ culture. Teachers can show appreciation for ELLs’ culture by displaying images of country flags and other cultural artifacts. Play music from ELLs’ countries of origin in the classroom whenever appropriate, like during art or craft projects. Encourage ELLs to share their culture’s traditional food dishes with the class during holiday celebrations. The critical thing to remember is that ELLs need to feel their culture is valued.

Classroom Displays

The classroom environment is greatly enhanced for English language learners when teachers display their cultural items openly for them and their classmates. This cultural exhibit demonstrates that the teacher and the larger school community respect and appreciates the students’ traditions and culture. This display can take the form of country flags, pictures of iconic features of their countries, and language translations.

Home Language Displays

A fun and easy way to create a welcoming environment in the classroom is through displays of ELLs’ home languages. On the first day of school, the students help me write a welcome sign with all the languages represented in the classroom. Then, I post the welcome sign on my classroom door for all the newcomers who arrive throughout the year. I add new languages to the sign if students with new languages come to my classroom. I use this same process to post classroom rules and expectations in the front of the classroom. These class projects are great strategies to show the students they are part of the classroom and an exemplary process for ELLs to learn and understand the classroom rules.  

Maps and Home Country Flags

Prominently revealing maps in the classroom allow teachers to lead discussions about the ELLs’ countries of origin for the students and provide ELLs the opportunity to describe their home countries’ geographical location and physical attributes for the other students. Many students may not be familiar with these facts and have many questions. This experience provides the ELLs an opening to meet and become friends with their classmates. Teachers should also be sure to exhibit ELLs’home country flags in the classroom as well as the United States flag. Displaying the flag and encouraging discussions about the design and comparisons between flags are great conversation starters, as well as occasions to discuss the history of the English language learners’ home country.

YouTube video about ELL Flags:

Origin Country Food and Music

Nothing excites English language learners as much as demonstrating their home country’s food and music. Teachers should look for an occasion to encourage their ELLs to bring traditional food from their home country to the classroom to share with the class. For example, before the winter break, the teacher should bring traditional holiday food from their home and encourage all the students, including the ELLs,  to bring traditional food from home if possible. This food sharing is an excellent way for ELLs to get to know their classmates and share their culture with the school. Teachers should allow students to play music from their home countries to enhance this occasion.

Picture of ELL student’s Palestinian Maqluba Dish:

Music

Remember how important modern music was to your life as a young student? This affection for music has spanned generations of youngsters. English language learners are usually very excited to share the music of their country with their teachers and classmates. They often have favorite musical artists they follow fanatically and will appreciate their new classmates’ exposure to their favorite music. Teachers should use music to build a welcoming environment for the ELL students in their classrooms. As stated earlier, teachers can play ELLs’ music during group craft projects, but they can also use music to encourage ELLs to make presentations to practice their speaking. As they explain their favorite artists to their classmates, they will also likely build friendships and feel they are classroom and school, community members.

There are many valuable resources teachers can utilize to assist their ELLs in the classroom. In this section, we will discuss some technologies that will help teachers communicate with their ELLs, translate class materials for their newcomers, and assist ELLs in accessing the curriculum.

SayHi

The SayHi is easily downloaded for free from the iPhone app store and is a fantastic tool for communicating with your newcomers (newly arrived ELLs) who may have minimal English proficiency skills. Educators can also use this app to communicate effortlessly with parents, guardians, or family members who may not speak English. Remember, many school districts have students from various countries who speak atypical languages. It may be tough even to find English translation dictionaries for some languages. The SayHi app is very user-friendly, requiring minimal steps to converse with non-English speakers.

The link below takes you to the SayHi App:

https://www.sayhi.com/en/translate/

Google Translate

Google Translate is the most commonly used website or application used ubiquitously by teachers, students, and the general population. It is a helpful tool for quick translations by speech, typing, or photo. Google Translate allows students or educators to translate documents via photographs on smartphones. This feature is handy for classroom handouts or worksheets. Google Translate can also transcribe audio. This transcribing is a quick way to translate without typing your desired language translation. Finally, it has a real-time conversation feature that can transcribe participants’ conversations, similar to SayHi but not as user-friendly.

https://translate.google.com/

Cambridge Dictionaries and Translators: Student Friendly

Cambridge Dictionaries and Translators is an excellent webpage for ELL students. On this webpage, students can type a vocabulary word in English where it will not only be translated but defined, translated, and provide pronunciation and examples of use in English and another language. This webpage is a fantastic resource for students to learn new vocabulary in all school curricula. Teachers should utilize this tool to assist students when pre-teaching content to build on existing knowledge.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english-spanish/

Extracurricular Activities

ELLs often feel uncomfortable in their new surroundings if they are unwelcome in their school extracurricular activities. Most schools have a variety of school clubs, organizations, or teams they may enjoy experiencing. This section discusses some of the essential aspects of extracurricular activities for ELLs.

Helpful YouTube video:

School Clubs

School clubs offer great opportunities for all students to cultivate their interests, form friendships, and expand their horizons. These clubs are even more beneficial for ELLs to access other students with similar interests and skills in an informal setting, which can help them feel part of the larger school community. ELLs are often unaware of the school’s activities due to their lack of English proficiency or communication with other students. Teachers must ensure that the ELLs in their school are informed of all the extracurricular activities offered in their schools. If a school does not offer a club that interests their ELLs, the teacher can assist them with starting a club they would like, such as a Hispanic, Asian, or African heritage club.

Sports Teams

Many ELLs are very interested in sports or were active in sports in their native country. Usually, these students enjoy playing sports on the school team, especially soccer. Teachers must ensure that the ELLs know when the sports team tryouts begin and assist them with acquiring the necessary equipment to participate. ELLs from most countries are very familiar with soccer and are outstanding players. Playing on a school sports team can allow ELLs into the center of the campus social atmosphere. This potential benefit is not limited to soccer since many ELLs are athletic and play various sports well.

Art and more…

Most schools offer a variety of opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities that cultivate students’ artistic abilities. ELLs may be interested in performing on dance and cheerleading teams or participating in various artistic groups, such as acting in school plays or contributing to art projects. These activities allow ELLs not only allow ELLs to enhance their creative skills but also provide an avenue for them to meet other students with similar abilities and skills to form strong, long-lasting friendships.

English language learners (ELLs) have the same hopes, dreams, and aspirations as the other students in their classrooms; however, they may have backgrounds that create unique social, emotional, and academic support. This section will address some of the needs specific to many ELLs in U.S. schools.  

New Comer ELLs

The ELLs that cause the most stress for teachers are the newcomers. These students often speak very little or no English and usually have minimal, if any, English language proficiency skills. Teachers’ first experiences with classroom newcomers can be overwhelming, frustrating, and emotionally straining. I have met with new teachers to discuss strategies to address issues with newcomers in their classroom who started crying due to the frustration and empathy they feel for their ELL students. This section will address issues and offer ideas to welcome and support newcomers.

Welcoming ELLs

It is vital that ELLs feel welcome and appreciated in your classroom. There are different strategies teachers use to welcome newcomers so that they feel part of the classroom and larger school community. For instance, in my classroom, I would have everyone, starting with myself, stand one at a time and introduce themselves to the new student in English and any other language the student may know. During my opening example, I would translate the introduction into the new student’s language and allow them to correct my mistakes if they are inclined. Teachers must remember and appreciate that all students are different, and some students may be uncomfortable participating in this exercise.

Unlike the ELLs born in the United States, newcomers will experience a culture shock. We expect them to learn content while learning a new language and do this in an unfamiliar country and culture. This situation can often overwhelm them, and teachers must do everything possible to assist these students in successfully navigating their new homes. There are four stages newcomers go through as they adapt to their new environment: Euphoria, Culture shock, Acceptance, and Assimilation/adaptation.

Euphoria

In this first phase of euphoria, like any travel to a new and exotic destination, newcomers are initially excited about their new surroundings. As if on vacation, they delight in the different aspects of the culture and all the new people they meet. Many may immediately make new friends and access a higher standard of living than they knew in their native country. This excitement usually dissipates quickly, and newcomers become homesick, often missing their culture and extended family.

Culture Shock

After the euphoria, newcomers may become hostile towards their new environment, rebelling against their classmates, teachers, and school. Educators must remember that many of these students are removed from their extended families and friends they left behind and will most likely become extremely homesick for their native country and culture. This homesickness is why teachers must do everything possible to create a welcoming environment in their classrooms and the broader school community.

Acceptance

At this stage, ELLs begin to gradually accept their new setting. Now, they may feel part of the community and dwell less on what they have left behind and what is possible in their new home. Teachers may begin to see them look to the future and notice more effort to acquire English proficiency.

Assimilation/adaption

Once the ELL reaches the fourth phase of cultural accommodation, they are ready to assimilate or at least adapt to their new home. Often this means a full embrace of community where they see themselves linked to their new home through family, friends, school, or place of worship. This embrace allows them to take full advantage of everything their community offers. This level of cultural accommodation is where we want all our ELLs to find.

Below is a YouTube video that describes welcoming and supporting newcomers.

Silent Period

Many educators describe newcomers in what has become known as the “silent period.” This period is the initial phase of English language acquisition, where the newcomer is anxious about speaking in front of others. They are apprehensive about speaking because they rightfully know that they do not speak English proficiently and are afraid they will be made fun of or feel uncomfortable. So, they sit and listen. This is the first phase of language acquisition. Also, the American classroom can be very strange to many newcomers, especially those from East Asia, where educators expect the students to sit quietly while the teacher provides instruction.

ELL Names

The names of ELLs can be tricky for American teachers and students to pronounce and write correctly, so teachers should take the time to get them right. Please make a point of having the ELLs help you pronounce their name correctly. They usually enjoy this exercise and have fun watching you struggle to pronounce the more difficult names. Regardless of how difficult a student’s name is, teachers can acquire the proper pronunciation, albeit with an American accent. The ELLs will much appreciate the effort at respecting their names, which may be traditional family names handed down for generations.

Be Friendly!

As with all students, being friendly goes a long way and takes little effort. This friendliness is even more essential for ELLs who may be estranged from family and friends. Make a point of smiling and saying hello and good morning. It may be difficult, but being friendly to the most unfriendly students is the best approach. These students may be the ones who need friendliness the most, and they will usually respond to that kindness eventually because they begin to understand that you care about them. Here is a video explaining the importance of showing the students you care.

Helpful YouTube video:

Improving Classroom Strategies for ELLs

More than any other question I get from anxious teachers with ELLs in their classroom for the first time is some form of “How do I teach these students when they don’t understand what I am saying, and they can’t read the instructions or assignments that are in their books, or I post on the board.” This section is designed to provide the answer for the many teachers in this awkward situation asking this question. In this section, we offer strategies and valuable tips to improve the effectiveness of lesson plans and the classroom setting to increase ELLs’ participation and academic achievement in your classroom.

Lesson Planning for ELLs

Teachers must be sensitive to the difficult situation many ELLs find themselves in core subject classrooms. Often these students need to learn basic English language skills and grade-level content and vocabulary in the core subjects. Try to imagine not knowing any Spanish language skills but moving to Spain as a 10^th grader and attempting to learn basic Spanish language grammar while trying to understand classic Spanish literature or Spanish history in the Spanish language. Now think about the ELLs who come to the United States from countries with languages with entirely different foundations and alphabets than English, such as Chinese or Arabic. ELLs in this unique situation require teachers to adjust their lessons to address their needs.

Steps for Developing Effective Lesson Plans for ELLs

Teachers can assist their ELLs in developing the ELLs language skills and literacy and build on their background knowledge for them to succeed through effective lesson planning. Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) is a foundation for teaching basic English skills while simultaneously teaching content. Although SIOP is an excellent framework for lesson planning for ELLs, it allows for flexibility in lesson planning. This section lists ideas for practical lesson-planning strategies for the ELLs in your classroom based on SIOP.

Lesson Planning with Sheltered SIOP

LDOE – Lesson plan template

https://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/english-learners/el-coach-lesson-plan-template.docx?sfvrsn=80356718_2

1 – Identify Content Objectives

Lesson objectives should always be identified and displayed in the classroom and in lesson plans. This display provides the students an understanding of what they are intended to learn in the lesson, giving the activities meaning and direction. Teachers can facilitate this understanding by defining, displaying, and reviewing the objectives in precise, straightforward language.

2 – Identify Language Objectives

Core subject teachers must identify language objectives as well as content objectives. Once the language objectives identified, teachers can integrate both content and language objectives into the lesson plan. This integration will allow the students to learn the language necessary to understand the content.

Your state department of education should provide a list on its website listing content connectors for grade-level ELLs that will help teachers understand how to connect language and content. Here are the Lousiana Department of Education (LDOE) student standard connectors for ELLs:

https://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/academic-standards/grades-11-12-connectors-for-els.pdf?sfvrsn=150b941f_5

3. Scaffolding

Scaffolding for ELLs is a metaphor for providing temporary support similar to scaffolding during building construction, as with the building project, where the builders remove the scaffolding as the construction nears completion; it is also discarded for the ELLs as they reach English proficiency.

Scaffolding lessons with multiple forms of visual and interactive support is essential to lesson planning for ELLs’ content comprehension. School districts expect ELLs to learn content without full English language proficiency, which requires teachers to utilize various scaffolding techniques for the ELLs in their classrooms. By incorporating interactive, sensory, and graphic support into the lesson, teachers can improve ELLs’ content comprehension. For example, in addition to explaining the content through speaking or text, use Venn diagrams for science, and have students create pamphlets for social studies or other appropriate visual aids to demonstrate the essential aspects of the lesson whenever possible.

Helful Scaffolding links

The link below offers an understanding and examples of sensory, interactive, and graphic scaffolding.

https://tankhuynh.com/scaffolding-instruction/

4. Differentiate Instruction

Although many ELLs may be newcomers to our country and have minimal English proficiency, this does not mean they are incapable of critical thinking or learning grade-level content. Often, teachers feel that they need to provide less rigorous content for ELLs; however, the opposite is true. By differentiating instruction for ELLs, teachers can instruct them toward grade-level expectations.

Below is a link to an example of a science teacher differentiating instruction to help the ELLs in his classroom engage in his experiment. He created a color-coded data-collection table to assist ELLs to organize their data. In this manner, ELLs are able to engage in the activity in a different fashion than the other students without unnecessarily dumbing down the content.

Link to Differentiated Lesson Example

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNMu7DDMAKFMFFsWaJgvFXmVuZgAQc7PLJ1hycKp8Mw/edit?pli=1

5. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)

Teaching content provides teachers a valuable opportunity to teach ELLs Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). Learning content cultivates listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills simultaneously. Classroom content acquisition requires ELLs to use every English language domain. Therefore, teachers should develop lesson plan strategies to incorporate English language practice while teaching content.

The CLIL classroom has these four elements:

• Content – Progression in knowledge, skills and understanding related to curriculum
• Communication – Using language to learn
• Cognition – Developing thinking skills to link concepts, understanding, and language
• Culture – Exposure to alternative perspectives and shared understandings.

Teachers should incorporate strategies ensuring activities are challenging and attainable for their ELLs.

link to understanding clil

https://www.english.com/blog/content-and-language-integrated-learning/

YouTube videos:

Helpful Links

Here is a helpful link that explains SIOP in detail with links to lesson plan checklists and templates:

https://www.empoweringells.com/siop-lesson-plan/

This is a link from LDOE with content connectors for ELLs:

https://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/academic-standards/grades-11-12-connectors-for-els.pdf?sfvrsn=150b941f_5

Link to differentiated lesson example

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNMu7DDMAKFMFFsWaJgvFXmVuZgAQc7PLJ1hycKp8Mw/edit?pli=1

Link to understanding scaffolding

https://tankhuynh.com/scaffolding-instruction/

New to Teaching ELLs

Are you a new teacher, or is this the first year you have English Language Learners (ELLs) in your classroom? Teaching ELs for the first time can be stressful but extremely rewarding for the ELLs, the other students in the school, and the teachers. With the increasing influx of ELs into the public school systems throughout the United States, teachers will need to learn to welcome and teach these students.

One of the most critical strategies for successfully teaching ELLs is constructing a robust positive relationship with these students. Here is a short list of easy but essential strategies to win over the ELLs in your classroom:

• Pronounce your ELLs name correctly
• Show support for ELLs’ interests (sports, music, etc.)
• Support your ELLs’ languages and cultures
• Interact with ELLs outside the classroom (Counseling, tutoring, coaching, etc.)
• Provide ELLs a platform to share their stories

Here are some helpful ideas, strategies, and things to consider while preparing to teach the ELLs in your classroom.

• Repetition is your friend. Develop routines and stick to them. Repeat directions often. If necessary, rephrase or simplify. Have students repeat the English skills they have developed until they are automatic and build on those.
• Speak clearly, using visual aids and hand gestures as much as possible.
• Write legibly and in simple English for new arrivals.
• Ensure the student understands the directions, activities, and expectations.
• Diversify instruction by presenting information in various formats.
• Remember that most ELLs will not understand idioms or slang and will likely take them literally, which will be confusing.
• Build on prior knowledge and English skills.
• Connect subject matter to ELLs’ culture or background whenever possible.
• Emphasize essential vocabulary relevant to the subject matter being taught.
• Celebrate ELLs’ academic success appropriately with respect for the student’s cultural traditions.

Essential Things to Know

• Student’s Name and Family information

The first thing a teacher learns, often before meeting a student, is their name. Spelling and pronouncing their name correctly can start the relationship out in a positive direction. This is not always as easy as it would seem. Many names can give typical U.S. teachers problems if unfamiliar with them. For instance, a Spanish-speaking student from Central America may have a name spelled Yeimi that pronounces it the same as the common name “Jamie” in the United States. Furthermore, the last names of ELLs from Central and South America can be difficult for some U.S. teachers. Often, these students have four names with two last names that may or may not be hyphenated. Teachers must become familiar with how the students prefer their teachers to write and pronounce their names.

Often students have a different spelling from traditional spellings of familiar names in the United States. For example, the common name “Christian” may be spelled “Cristhian” by ELLs from other countries. Teachers should never change the spelling or pronunciation of the student’s name unless the student or their family requests it. This proper spelling of names is essential for papers going home to the parents of students to avoid alienating the family of the ELLs. Teachers can obtain the correct spelling of names from school records submitted by the parents in their cumulative folders kept in the office in most schools. If necessary, the school or school district’s English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher can assist with this information.

Country of Birth

• Discover the ELL’s Country of Birth

Teachers must know the student’s country of birth and culture. If the teacher is unfamiliar with the country or culture, they must learn about it, so they can incorporate it into the lessons and have welcoming discussions with the student. This knowledge will also allow the teacher to introduce the other students to the ELL’s culture, enabling them to become more firmly entrenched in the school community. Knowledge of the ELL’s country of origin will provide the teacher with valuable information they can use to connect learning objectives to background knowledge or incorporate the ELL’s personal history into the lessons.

Home Life

• ELL’s Family History and Present Living Situation

A Student’s home life and family background can majorly impact their social and academic success. Although many ELLs attend schools from homes in safe, secure environments, some are separated from their parents and siblings, living with extended family members they may not have known before they arrived in the United States. Others may be in living in shelters or with strangers. Teachers must delicately and sensitively learn about their ELL’s family dynamics and living situations to ascertain if they have adequate support and access to materials and resources necessary to attend school. ELLs from challenging backgrounds and living situations may need social-emotional support and monitoring to meet their social and academic potential.

Once educators gather the essential information regarding their ELLs’ experiences and living arrangements, they can better assist them with access to critical resources necessary to navigate their new community. School counselors are great resources for finding family information. Teachers can also utilize get-to-know-you conversations with ELLs and their families to acquire pertinent knowledge about their histories. Teachers must stay alert for at-risk indicators, such as significant changes to students’ behavior or mood, that may signal a need for assistance.  

Education Background

• First Language (L1)

Parents or guardians must fill out a home language survey when registering their child for school. This simple form asks fundamental questions about the child’s language background and is usually readily accessible in the student’s cumulative folder kept in the school’s front office. Teachers can often learn the student’s first language from this form before they enter their classroom. This form does not usually provide much information, so the teacher should ask the student or family further questions about the student’s proficiency in their first language and if they have any other language skills in English or another language. Teachers may want to ask questions such as:

• Does your child speak multiple languages?
• Did your child have any English language instruction before coming to this school?
• What language does your child speak at home?
• What language does your child speak with his friends?
• What language are the television stations he watches?
• What is the language of the music they listen to?
• At what age did the child start speaking their first language?

The answers to these questions can provide the teacher with information to help the teacher build on the student’s language proficiencies.

First-Language Proficiency and Multilingualism

A student’s proficiency in their first language is the best indicator of their ability to learn a second language. Furthermore, if a student speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and French fluently, they will most likely learn English more effortlessly than students who only know one language. Conversely, if students are not proficient in their first language, they will usually have a more challenging experience learning a second language. For instance, if a Spanish-speaking 8th-grade student speaks Spanish fluently but does not read or write in Spanish, they may find learning English difficult. Therefore, it can be beneficial for teachers to understand a student’s first language proficiency and whether or not they are multilingual.

Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE)

Due to circumstances beyond their control, many ELLs have come to our schools through complicated routes with gaps in their official records. It can often be challenging to ascertain how much time your ELLs attended school in their home country, been in the United States, attended U.S. schools, or if their education had any interruptions. There are many instances where the paperwork provided to the school at registration is vague on these topics. It is not uncommon for ELLs to have long periods of their education interrupted when they did not attend school for many years. This interruption can cause many challenges for the ELLs and the educators trying to assist them with their education.

Educators should conduct a family interview to establish the educational background of their ELLs. This interview is the most reliable strategy for learning the ELL’s prior academic history. It is also an excellent opportunity to meet and build a positive relationship with the family.

Literacy Skills

• First Langauge Literacy

First-language literacy is often the best indicator of an ELL’s ability to acquire English language literacy. If an ELL is proficient in all domains of their first language, it is most likely that they will learn English quickly and much more easily than ELLs who are not. Therefore, educators should assess the ELL’s first-language literacy skills to determine if they read and write at the appropriate proficiency level. The school district may want to conduct a family interview with a translator and the ESL teacher present. During these interviews, the educators can learn if there are gaps in the ELL’s education history and their reading and writing ability in their first language.

Teachers can do a quick informal assessment by asking a student to read a short article in their first language, then have them write a short paragraph about what they read. For Spanish-speaking students, Spanish literature is usually easily accessible in the school library or on the internet. After completed, the teacher can have the ESL teacher or bilingual colleague assess the response. This assessment can determine if the student can read and write at an appropriate level for their age and education level.

English Language Skills

• Understanding English Language Proficiency Assessment Scores

English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT)

In Louisiana, the English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT) is the standardized state assessment taken by every ELL in Louisiana public schools. This assessment is administered in late February and early March every year during the Spring semester before the LEAP and iLEAP examinations, which all students usually take in late April and Early May. Every state has a similar test for ELLs to assess their English proficiency.

The ELPT determines the English proficiency of ELLs in four language domains: listening, reading, speaking, and writing. For simplicity, scores are listed between 1 and 5 for each domain, with 1 being the lowest possible score. The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) lists the ELPT scores in alphabetical order from left to right. For instance,  a score of 1/2/3/4 would represent a student’s score of 1 in listening, 2 in reading, 3 in speaking, and 4 in writing. The LDOE designates students using their lowest score as a base. A student with a score of 1 in a domain but no higher than 2 in the other domains is Emerging 1 (E1). A student scoring a 1 in a domain but over 2 in at least one domain (example:  3/1/2/2) is progressing 1 (P1). Consequently, a score of 3/3/4/4 is a P3 representing a student progressing with the lowest domain score of 3. Educators in other states should contact the ESL teachers in their school district to attain the scoring procedures.

English Language Proficiency Screener (ELPS)

ELLs often come to your school districts without any prior ELPT scores or school records from other school districts. In this case, ESL teachers should administer an English Language Proficiency Screening (ELPS). The scoring for the ELPS is identical to the ELPT. In Louisiana, this is a shortened version of the ELPT that a student can take within a few days of arrival to provide educators with a general measure of the English skills of the ELL in the four domains.

Although these tests are great for providing educators with a score to measure English language proficiency, they do not provide essential information about academic history or first language literacy. It is important to remember that many students may have the lowest possible score on the ELPS or ELPT but may have vastly different academic foundations to acquire English proficiency in all the domains.

Teachers can usually access the results of the ELPT or ELPS in the students’ cumulative folders administrators keep in the school’s front office. If necessary, teachers can contact the school’s ESL teacher to get the ELP student scores and explain them in more detail if desired. Meeting with the ESL teacher provides educators an excellent opportunity to collaborate and learn more about the students and strategies to assist them in the classroom.

Student Interests

Teachers must acquaint themselves with their student’s interests. This knowledge of their interests can be essential for building a bond with the ELLs in their classrooms. Teachers can gather this information through short questionnaires or informal conversations with individual students, or classroom discussions. Often, these conversations can start with teachers sharing their hobbies or interests.

Once teachers know their student’s interests, they find ways to support them. For instance, if a wants to be part of the school soccer team, a teacher should ensure that the student understands when the team tryouts take place, help them acquire any equipment they may need (cleats, etc.), or fill out any of the paperwork necessary for the tryouts. Also, once the student is part of a school sports team or other activity, the teacher should attend games or functions their ELLs participate in. This support works wonders for building strong relationships between teachers and all students but especially for ELLs who may feel alienated in their new school.

Student Goals

Plans for the Future

Understand your ELL’s and family’s goals and plans for the future. ELL’s plans for the future are as varied as the students themselves. Some may dream of becoming a medical doctor or educated professional, while others desire to gain a trade skill to work in a family construction business. Discussions with ELLs and their families about their future hopes and dreams help ELLs reach their goals. Also, once again, your interest in their plans helps to build your relationship with the ELLs and their families. The more teachers show interest and support for their ELLs, the more respect and effort they will receive from them.