Use Writing to Spur Imagination (and thereby Boost Vocabulary Base)!

With spring break over, students will probably be still in vacation mode when they return. So what is a teacher to do in English class to motivate them to start writing again? How does a teacher show kids that writing can be fun and still boost academic skills in language structure and vocabulary? Imaginative writing assignments fit the bill:)

When teachers find and use in their classes fun assignments, such as many of the prompts in CREATIVE WRITING TOPICS, they will see more students being actively engaged in the task. The ideal setting is in small cooperative learning groups (4 per group). Here the ELL has an opportunity to "play" with language in working with his/her group. Since English is not the home language of the ELL, language skills are not as sharp as those of the English only student. The ELL often relies on overly simplistic vocabulary (nice, good, bad, was/were, etc.) and very basic sentence structure because of this. So, since the listening and speaking skills of ELLs are better than their reading and writing abilities, teachers should have ELLs approach writing and reading through their strongest skills of listening and speaking. Group work makes this possible with ease.

Using the material from this site, the ELL can share her/his thoughts and then take part in writing down the ideas of the group with peer support. An ELL could also be assigned a role as a proof reader with the rest of the group chiming in as needed. A teacher could have the ELL read the result of the group's collaborative efforts aloud to the class. One other option might be to have the students within groups create comic strips (or story boards) on their topic. Here the writing pressure is eased a bit, but the content remains the same---to address the prompt. As an ELL's confidence grows in writing so will quality in more traditional assignments improve.

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

P.S. This blog is a nominee for the MOST FASCINATING BLOG OF 2012. If you would like to vote for me, just click on the "VOTE FOR ME" badge on the right side of the blog just above my profile. Thanks:)

30 Ideas for Teaching Writing for ELLs and EOs Alike

Of the 4 language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), writing is the one that ELLs struggle with the most. In fact, in many cases, it is the last skill to be mastered. Sometimes full mastery never seems to come no matter what supports teachers have built into their classes. Low scores in this language skill area also bring down annual test scores on standardized examinations such as the CST (California Standards Test) and low scores can lead to state/federal interventions on a multitude of levels affecting funds and staff.

So what should be done? Teaching to the test is not the answer. Instead, focusing on their weakest skill through creative modern-day prompts may be and that is where the NATIONAL WRITING PROJECT comes in. In the article I have attached, you will find 30 very original ideas to make writing accessible and even enjoyable for your ELLs and other struggling students. Each suggestion is linked to an in-depth article on the inspiration for the idea. They are all free resources which you may explore at will.

Writing needs to be done frequently with meaningful feedback highlighting strengths while offering suggestions in only 1 or 2 areas (too many suggestions will destroy self-confidence). ELLs also need to have time to play with language and writing. After all, they are writing in a language that is not theirs so they need more time to explore the nuances of English. Developing writing assignments that spark interest and offer inspiration should be the goal:)

Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

Moving Away from Ambiguous Word Choices:)

ELLs generally struggle with vocabulary choices when trying complete academic assignments. Overuse of common words with multiple meanings is the frequent choice. You will see a word like BREAK in every other sentence because ELLs don't have an extensive enough language background to supply suitable synonyms for the word. When in doubt, the same word is used repeatedly. On this site, a student clicks on the word he/she is using to see what other choices exist. Each choice selected is equipped with its definition and part of speech to help the student pick the correct form of the word substitution.

A teacher's guidance is a must-have though since finding just the right word will take some practice. To help students remember great word selections, a word wall could be created with possibly 3 columns: column 1 (weak words), column 2 (strong words), column 3 (AWESOME WORDS). Words could be added throughout the week as needed. The list would be kept up all year. If teachers hold on to student writing samples, journals, logs, etc., they will see major growth in student word choice. Students will be amazed at their greatly expanded vocabulary base by the end of the year---guaranteed! :)

AMBIGUOUS WORDS

Enjoy!

Denise
ELL TEACHER PROS

Math CAN Be Fun!

If you teach math to a far from enthusiastic audience (from time to time), you will definitely appreciate MATH PLAYGROUND. It is geared to elementary and middle school primarily. The variety of games is quite impressive for a free site.

How can these games be used to supplement a math lesson? You could create a learning center with a couple of computers in it. Students could be sent there at various times of the day, when students are pursuing varying topics of interest, to work on weak math skills in a non-traditional way. Computers have infinite patience:)

For your students who don't need additional time to master lesson objectives, they can play logic games. There is something for everyone!


Denise

ELL TEACHER PROS

A Fun Look at Language Issues ESL Teachers Face:)

What language issues surface in a typical ELD/ESL class? Stress, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, etc. just to name a few. Though there is a textbook, many times issues surface that are not in the book. This is especially true with speaking. This amusing clip presents the situation with humor. Hope this brings a smile as you watch it:)

ENGLISH PROBLEMS

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