WOULD YOU LIKE AN ONLINE FREE RESOURCE ON TEACHING ELLS? LOOK NO MORE:)

As the student population changes in the U.S., teachers see their classrooms becoming increasingly more diverse linguistically.  Mainstream classes will have a small percentage of ELLs at different English proficiency levels.  Those students will need more support than "sit with a partner" if they are to successfully meet the academic demands of the "national" common core standards in English, math, science, and social studies.

So what does a teacher here who has never really had much interaction with ELLs in her/his classes?  Well, teachers always rise to the challenge so they may ask for support from colleagues, attend professional development sessions, search the net, etc.  If they go to colleagues, they should try to talk to the ones that ALL the students like first.  There is probably a good chance that those teachers have some ELLs scattered in their classes throughout the day.  Another resource would be to ask new teachers for advice here.  Often times, they have just finished the required teacher credentialing program at the local college so they have at their fingertips some proven strategies to deliver instruction to all.  Still another resource might be the professional development classes that almost all districts deliver.  Because many school districts are on notice from the government to provide educational equity to ELLs and others strugglers, they tend to offer after school and weekend classes on ways to promote equal access to content to all students.  Classes are free and in some cases, if held after school, teachers are compensated for attending.  A last resource is the internet.  This takes some time though in trying to find a source that delivers material in ways that suit the teacher's teaching style. (CHECK OUT THIS BLOG FOR ADDITIONAL IDEAS, LESSONS, AND TEACHING STRATEGIES)

Here is one online resource that provides a quality crash course on meeting the unique needs of ELLs in K-12 in the classroom.

(taken directly from the site)

Best Practices for English Language Learners was developed by teachers and educational administrators as a resource for teachers, principals, and district leadership to:

• Provide a framework for sheltered instruction for all teachers. 
• Increase use and improve the quality application of research-based
  strategies in content and English Language Development (ELD) classrooms.
• Support districts in the implementation of proven research based
  practices to increase language proficiency and academic content
  knowledge for culturally and linguistically diverse students.
• Demystify terminology and initiative confusion in the field by using
  a framework for understanding school improvement

In this site, you will find teaching videos highlighting successful strategies with ELLs,  This material would offer teachers many opportunities to see real educators in their classrooms with ELLs.  The highly effective delivery of instruction is a result of teachers looking at all aspects of their classroom instruction and then reflecting on how to make sure that ALL students are benefiting from it.

Look through the site and decide on which areas most meet your needs or address your concerns.  If you know teachers who need help, pass the website along to them.  ELL RESOURCES

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

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