Supporting ELLs in the Final Stretch of the School Year!

ELL Teacher Pros Newsletter                                              October 2016

It is hard to believe that it is late the year is fast coming to a close!  Soon, winter break will be here and all of you will have time to relax and, hopefully, have some fun!

With English language learners in classes, teachers may wish to modify assessments a bit to allow these students (as well as those with special needs) to demonstrate to a teacher’s satisfaction what they really know without being unduly penalized for occasional errors in their use of English.  So how can modifications be made to allow them to show what they know without watering down the content?  Employ a wide variety of highly engaging formative assessments BEFORE the summative is given.  Using these approaches build self-confidence for the ELL as well as for other students with special needs.

Here are a few ideas that I have used from Edutopia:

1.     Use a KWL chart with 2 modifications.  K (what I know), W (what I want to know), L (what I learned), H (how I learned it), and Q (Questions I still have).  The H and Q components provide the teacher with a better idea of how well the lesson was understood.  The Q component opens itself easily to small group discussions to help clarify murky issues.  Results would all be posted on chart paper around the room for students (ELLs especially) to access as needed in navigating new materials.

2.     Have small groups (ELLs, English Only, and special needs) teach a part of the lesson to the classroom.  This way each group becomes an expert in their assigned topic (with the understanding that EACH member of the group must be ready to share what s/he understood).  While each group discusses their grasp of the topic, the rest of the class is taking notes on a teacher-designed handout (this type of guidance ensures that everyone knows what to listen for). Once all groups have finished sharing, small groups can discuss what they understood and compare notes.

3.     Pass out chart paper and markers to each small group and have them create an illustration of what they understood of the lesson.  Post the results and then have students evaluate each chart (simple rating system—3 being the most detailed down to 1 having limited grasp of the topic).

4.     Design a pamphlet that will clearly cover all the main concepts of the lesson.  This will include diagrams, pictures, bullet points, short paragraphs, etc.  Each group will then share the results with the class by posting them around the room so that every student can review and rate them (again 3 being the best and 1 being needs work).

5.     Conduct teacher and student one to one conferences.  Students must have specific questions in mind when they approach the teacher.  From experience in this area, I can tell you that students really enjoy that one on one.  ELLs especially enjoy it since no one can hear the conversation but the teacher so the fears of stumbling in English fade away.

6.     Have students do a 1-minute reflection on what their big takeaway from the lesson.  This can be a written reflection, a sketch, bullets, cartoons, etc.  This type of freedom of expression will build student confidence in sharing what they know.

7.     Let students create a comic book or strip on what they understood.  Use Read, Write, Think comic strip creator for those who don’t feel comfortable drawing.

8.     Talk to colleagues to pull ideas from them.  Every teacher has a few fun ideas to reach their students.

We hope your students have a fun Halloween (and leave the candy home on November 1^st).

denise@ellteacherpros.com

marnie@ellteacherpros.com

cheryl@ellteacherpros.com

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Celebrating Immigrants -- The American Story!

ELL Teacher Pros                                                                               November 2016 Newsletter

Thanksgiving was and is my favorite holiday.  Not only did we get out of school but we got to eat turkey and cranberry sauce (two of my all-time faves)!  My mom would make pumpkin, apple and pecan pies, mashed potatoes from real potatoes (she usually used powdered), sweet potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, etc.  My mother’s side of the family was far away from their immigrant roots.  My dad’s family, however, was not.  He was first generation American and his family was from The Ukraine and very poor.  As a child, he never had some of the foods we ate every Thanksgiving.

As I was thinking of my Thanksgivings I thought of my dad’s background and stories I’ve been told by other first generation folks and adult ELLs and thought about how we could validate their experiences through an exploration of the experiences immigrants have had with their first Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving in general.

The book, Molly’s Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen, is directly about this experience and even older learners might enjoy having it read to them as a starter for discussion, project or unit on immigration or Thanksgiving.  The book is written for upper elementary school learners and is at a third grade reading level.

For elementary level learners there are a group of free lesson suggestions at:

https://www.lessonplanet.com/article/education/molly-s-pilgrim-and-thanksgiving-activities

For older learners, there are resources on the web that cover immigrants’ experiences with Thanksgiving and which could be used as reading activities.  This holiday includes culture, history, human rights, immigration and friendship – many themes to work with. These articles could be used for reading skill development as well as an introduction to personal experiences with Thanksgiving.

Some sites to review for Reading Skill work:

·       Reading Comprehension Skills for English Language Learners

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/reading-comprehension-skills-english-language-learners

·       Increasing ELL Student Reading Comprehension with Non-fiction Text

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/increasing-ell-student-reading-comprehension-non-fiction-text

·       Reading Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners

http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol5/511-breiseth.aspx

A lesson plan for Thanksgiving and the Immigrant Experience

LESSON PLAN Thanksgiving 2—The Pilgrim Story and My Immigrant Story

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/files/Thanksgiving2_lesson_plan.pdf

Articles covering the immigrant experience and Thanksgiving Immigrant Experience

 http://www.ibtimes.com/newly-arrived-immigrants-navigate-their-first-american-thanksgiving-turkey-all-1728786    An article in “International Business Times” on people from France, Burkina Faso, Mali, Yemen, and Dominican Republic.

“Beyond Turkey: The Migration of Thanksgiving Tradition”

http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/immigrant-thanksgiving-chefs-draft.html 

Seriouseats.com                Cooks talk about food for Thanksgiving, from Ecuador, Turkey, Greek, Middle East, France, China, & Italy

“First Thanksgiving”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-abn-first-thanksgiving-st-1122-20151122-story.html           Story in Chicago Tribune on immigrants from Dubai, Mexico, India, Nigeria

An article on Vietnamese immigrants and their Thanksgiving experience

“Modern-day pilgrims in North Jersey mark their first Thanksgiving”

http://www.northjersey.com/news/modern-day-pilgrims-in-north-jersey-mark-their-first-thanksgiving-1.1462539   Immigrants from Syria & Cuba   “NorthJersey.com”

Immigration In and Out of the Classroom

http://teachimmigration.blogspot.com/2015/11/the-first-thanksgiving-and-first.html

“Immigrants adapt Thanksgiving feasts with tastes from home”

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/sf-ethnic-thanksgiving-food-immigrant-families-20141124-story.html   “Sun Sentinel” FL,   Immigrants from Brazil, Basque area in Spain, Egypt, Haiti & the Virgin Islands

“Thanksgiving is a story of immigrants”

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/commentary/fl-viewpoint-thanksgiving-20151124-3-story.html

“The First Immigrant Thanksgiving”

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2013-11-27/the-first-immigrant-thanksgiving

As an idea to help this along, I want to share the story of a co-worker whose family emigrated from Italy and a tradition her family created for Thanksgiving.

As Molly did, Marie came home from school and told her mother she had to make a Thanksgiving dinner.  One of the foods was to be a stuffed turkey.  Her mother did not know what the stuffing could be and, of course, Marie had no idea either.  After thinking about it for a while, Marie’s mother created a rice-based stuffing which the family uses to this day.

We hope these sites contribute to a rich discussion on immigration and different cultures and tales on how immigrant families develop their own traditions for this iconic American holiday. 

Have a great Thanksgiving Break!

Marnie, Denise, and Cheryl

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How to Support English Language Learners in NON-ELD/ESL Classes:)

ELL Teacher Pros                                               September, 2016

Contributions of ELLs to Society                  Mawi Asgedom (T.E.D.)

Too often of late we hear that immigrants are a drain on society, a dangerous threat, predators, terrorists, etc.  As an educator who has spent her entire life working to support immigrants’ efforts to learn the language, graduate from high school, and go on to college, I can say that immigrants are one of America’s greatest strengths.  Mawi Asgedom is living proof of this.

Here is a man who came to the United States as a refugee from Ethopia with no English.  One can only imagine what went through his mind as all he heard, saw, and experienced was new and, in a way, alien.  The ELLs who come into our classes are often a bit overwhelmed.  Such students have so much to share, but are hampered by their lack of familiarity with this culture.  The one vehicle to ease the stress and assist such students in being fully integrated into our school culture (and society at large) is via the typical ESL/ELD classroom (or being with teachers trained in supporting such students in their mixed classrooms).  Dr. Asgedom was fortunate to have support from caring educators who never gave up on him and that led him to Harvard where he earned his doctorate.  With such experience, he has made it his mission to support immigrant youth through his travels around the states addressing educators at every level. 

So what can individual teachers do to support immigrant students in their classrooms?  Here is a short list (feel free to add to it):

1.     For mainstream teachers with ELLs in their classrooms, here are 12 ways to accommodate them.

2.     Build a family-like atmosphere in the classroom where are openly encouraged to help their classmates.  When small group work is called for, be sure that each small group allows the ELL to contribute with the help of the group.  Using this approach, not only does the student acquire English via content activities, but also the native speaker learns about different cultures in a personal way.

3.     Adjust assignments in ways that allow the ELL to show understanding of the content without getting bottled down in language.  Language will evolve over time through both direct (ESL/ELD teachers can assist here) and indirect instruction (content classes). 

4.     Build a classroom full of cultural contributions of all the groups (and then some) present in the classroom.  Be sensitive to cultural holidays that may not be part of their culture.  If a teacher wants to do Christmas, that teacher should also recognize the special holidays of other religious groups/cultures.  Such sensitivity teaches students to be culturally more receptive to different experiences and not fear them.

5.     Make an effort to learn to pronounce the names of ELLs correctly.  For some languages it may take some effort, but students will love and respect a teacher for trying.

6.     Keep ELLs relatively close to the front if the classroom is set up the traditional way.  This way it is easier to monitor them.  Place them next to students who love to socialize.  Socializers LOVE to talk so when small group work is called for, this group jumps at the opportunity to actively engage the quieter ones in the group’s discussion.  Sometimes, believe it or not, kids are better at getting a message across than teachersJ

7.     Discuss student’s progress with other teachers who have him/her in their classes.  It will offer insight into different ways to reach the student.

8.     Encourage parents to text/call you if they have concerns.

I have worked with immigrants for over 35 years and have truly enjoyed every moment of it. 

Hope September has gone well.  Only 8 more weeks until Thanksgiving (humor intended).

Denise (denise@ellteacherpros.com)

Marnie (marnie@ellteacherpros.com)

Cheryl (cheryl@ellteacherpros.com)

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Yeah--The Year Is Slowly Coming to an End:)

 


Hello everyone!  There are only another 6 or so weeks left to the school year with probably just a handful of students who might need some support in ending the school year on a positive note.  This is especially important with English language learners who have spent the year not only tackling the course content but also the language.  The focus in this newsletter will therefore be dedicated to offering some last minute tips on helping your ELLs finish the year on a positive note.

Many teachers give final exams to their students.  May is often spent preparing students for the finals.  Here are some ideas that are popular and effective:

 

1. If teachers have had students keep notebooks throughout the year, they might consider letting them use their binders for their finals.Students who have religiously maintained their binders throughout the year will feel rewarded for their diligent work habits.
2. Teachers often have success with having students (in teacher organized groups) lead study sessions for the class.When the students are responsible for creating review lessons for their classmates, they become class experts on their assigned area in the process.The technique used to deliver the lesson is left up to the students (power point, video, games, visuals, etc.). This approach is a highly effective review process.As the class listens to peer review lessons, they take notes on student created study sheets.Again, teachers might consider allowing students to use these review sheets on their final exams.
3. Another popular review/final exam prep technique for teachers is to have students create a study card (index card).On it, students write everything they think that they will need for the final and then bring it to class on the day of the examination.
4. Final examinations may also be broken up in a couple of class periods.For example, students might take a multiple choice on one day and then on another day take the writing component.
5. Create a final exam game such as BINGO or JEOPARDY where, after participation rules are established, the entire class is actively involved in the review process.

Below are some websites with even more ideas to help students review and retain for finals:


12 Top Ways to Rev Up Classroom…


Making Review Time Fun and Worthwhile


Review Methods for Classroom Teachers

Have a great Memorial Day break!

Denise (denise@ellteacherpros.com)
Marnie (marnie@ellteacherpros.com)
Cheryl (cheryl@ellteacherpros.com)

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Great FREE Academic Support Sites for ELLs and other Struggling Students!

 

Welcome to April!  Isn’t it difficult to believe that the end school year is just around the corner? 

So with that fun thought in mind (and 10 more weeks to go), what can be done to support those few English language learners who are doing poorly though they seem to put their best efforts forward regularly in class?  What can a teacher do to address the needs of those students who just arrived in the middle of the school year (very common with ELLs)?  How can their fellow classmates help these students without neglecting their own studies?  There are many solutions here and this newsletter will focus on many of them.

Technology-In planning any lesson for a class, some special consideration must come into play in preparing ELLs to do well.  SHOWME is an app that allows a teacher to develop videos, power points, white board activities, etc. for free!  Get the app and use some of the lessons already on file.  This is a great tool to use for ELLs who need to go through the content again or for students who were absent for the lesson.  This app helps the teacher keep her/his sanityJ

How about providing students with virtual tours of historical sites?  These tours would be available online 24 hours a day and accessible through iPads, smart phones, laptops, etc.  When students have the option to revisit material at home without peer pressure (and more L1 support), they are more likely than not going to understand more and that builds self-confidence.  The Statue of Liberty tour is exceptionally well done.

Knowmia provides over 30,000 video lessons from great teachers (you may also submit one of your own that you are particularly proud of as well).  Just imagine how this might alleviate a student’s anxiety in not fully understanding a lesson.  Here, a teacher would provide the link to both student and parent to make the lesson more accessible.

Organized Small Group Activities are a must for not just ELLs, but for students in general.  Asking students to make their own groups is essentially a train wreck in the making (humor intended).  Teachers need to create the groups with a healthy mix of students and talents.  Students must be clear that every person in the group (and that there is not only a group grade but an individual one as well) must work. Each person in the group has an assigned task for which she/he will receive a grade as well as a grade for the group as a whole.  With clear expectations laid out, teacher going from group to group to randomly call on persons in the group for information on group’s progress, and time constraints (to keep them on track), everyone benefits. 

Alternative assessments are only limited by a teacher’s imagination.  ELLs (as well as students with special needs) may require other approaches to demonstrate their understanding of a topic.  This link provides many tools that would offer such students a way to say to the teacher and the class that they have the same understanding of a given topic that all the others have.  Great self-esteem and self-confidence builder guaranteed!

Have a great spring break!

Denise, Marnie, Cheryl

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ELL Teacher Pros                                          March 2016 Newsletter With the start of March, students start the countdown to June:).  All too often, they need a gentle reminder that school continues for 3 more months.  At this point, ELLs need to be made aware of how much progress they have made in acquiring English skills.  How can this be done with meaning?  How can this be done in a personal way that sees the whole student and not just the grade received? 20 Tips on Delivering Positive Feedback includes many of the approaches I have used over the years.  Though all of these approaches are quality ones, I have my favorites (as any educator would):   Feedback must be delivered in a timely manner.The longer it is delayed, the less effective it will be in addressing the problem.This type of feedback should be personal in nature keeping in mind that ELLs are trying to demonstrate their understanding of the assignment in a language that is new.The sooner the teacher and ELL have this conversation, the better. (#2 and #3 in article) Focusing on key questions (#4) is also a must.What can the ELL do, what can’t s/he do, how does her/his work compare to the class overall, and how can s/he do better?These are questions all teachers grapple with daily.For ELLs to do well, all content teachers must tie those questions to all assignments if ELLs are to successfully pass the class and be fully prepared to move to more challenging work in the next school year. One-on-one conferences (# 7) is a favorite of mine.ALL students love that time with the teacher in this setting.I always tell mine though that they must have a solid question to ask me on the work they produced (of course, as a class, we practice what is a quality question and what isn’t).Here, the risk of embarrassment is a non-issue Number 15 is an excellent one.Return tests and assignments at the beginning of a class.This gives students time to ask questions.Assignments given out at the end of class are generally crammed into backpacks. Another great source on this same topic is found in Edutopia’s article entitled 5 Research-Based Tips for Providing Students with Meaningful Feedback.   “Be as specific as possible” (# 1).ELLs especially need to know what they must correct and how.In delivering this information, teachers need also to let ELLs know if the quality of their work is improving and specifically how.This type of encouraging feedback boosts their self-confidence. “Present feedback carefully” (# 4).When corrections are offered, they must be for every single issue.Over-correction leads to ELLs giving up.The “red massacre” should never be used for any student since it kills any desire to improve. One last excellent source for supporting ELLs is found in TESOL’s Motivating Language Learners to Succeed.  Several suggestions are very successful techniques in any classroom, but especially beneficial for ELLs.   Teachers should build pair and small group activities into classroom lessons on a regular basis.Such learning environments build the ELLs confidence in learning the content while building English skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) in a low anxiety environment. Create a friendly classroom environment.Basically, set up a classroom where students help each other. Competition should take a back seat to assisting fellow classmates in learning the content.Small group activities are perfect tools for doing this.ELLs feel safer sharing their insight in small settings than in front of the entire class. Again, many of these tips probably cover approaches that are probably already being used in most classrooms, but a refresher is good as the school year is quickly coming to a close. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Denise, Marnie, and Cheryl ELL TEACHER PROS Visit our blog at TEACHING SUCCESSES WITH ELLS Follow us on Twitter @ell_teacherpros (3,950 followers) Follow us on Pinterest User Name dmcyberteacher (4,600 followers) Follow us on Facebook as ELL Teacher Pros P.S.  We will be presenting at CABE in San Francisco in March 24th.  Come by and say hi:)