Planning for English Language Learners

In this blog I am going to share some strategies and steps that we could use as teachers in order to include ELL students and support their active participation in learning activities.

The unit that I would like to develop is about the different cultures in countries where the people speak Spanish.

These are four examples of ELL students:

Martin is a Colombian boy. He is 6 years old and this is the second year in the school. He is in the stage of Speech Emergence. He can communicate with simple phrases and sentences. He asks simple questions, that sometimes may not be grammatically correct. Also, he initiates short conversations with classmates. He is able to do some content work with teacher support.

Strategies:

1. Teach new vocabulary about the topic, using visuals and repeat the words many times.
2. Write simple sentences using new vocabulary. Teacher can provide some examples.
3. Work with a partner who is English dominant. The ELL students could practice his/her speaking skills interacting with others.
4. Compose personal stories related to the topic.
5. Read short and modified text about the topic.
6. Watch videos about the topic to familiarize with the content.
   
   

Hi Shu is a Chinese girl. She is 9 years old. This is her fourth year in the school. She is in the stage Intermediate Fluency. She is beginning to use more complex sentences when speaking and writing. She frequently asks questions to clarify what they are learning in class. She works in grade level in math and science classes. She writes with many errors, but she is able to express her opinions.

Strategies:

1. Work in comprehension activities.
2. Practice grammar, the teacher can provide some activities to improve writing grammar. The student could write about her culture to complement the topic of this unit.
3. Guiding reading with the student and share with her some books to read at home.
4. Provide to the student more complex concepts to express her ideas and use when she is speaking in class.
5. Provide time to the student to share orally about her culture, family and traditions.

Juan is a Mexican boy. He is 8 years old. This is the first year in the United States and he is new in the school. He is in the stage of Pre-production. He has a limited vocabulary and he is not speaking yet. He is able to repeat sentences and words. He always is paying attention. At the end of the day, he always is tired, because the new language is a challenge for him.

Strategies:

1. Provide simple vocabulary accompanied with visuals.
2. Use many gestures and expressions (corporal language) when the teacher is explaining.
3. Write sentences and main words in the whiteboard in each unit. It is better is the teacher use visuals with the new concepts.
4. Promote working in a groups with English speaker students.
5. Provide technological tools that help the student to learn new vocabulary, pronunciation and phonetics.
6. Use audio-visual materials in the lesson.

Amal is a Philippine girl. She is 5 years old. This is the second year in the school. He is in the stage of Early Production. She speaks in one- or two-word phrases. She can use short language chunks that have been memorized although these chunks may not always be used correctly

Strategies:

1. Promote the participation of the students in all activities in the class.
2. Modify the content information to a simple language level.
3. Teach new vocabulary using visual or videos. Provide context of the new words.
4. Provide technology to work in listening activities.
5. Focus the content in key vocabulary and concepts.
6. Use simple books and invite the student to participate in small groups to have guiding reading.
7.  Use a frame to scaffold writing.
8. Repeat, repeat and repeat.