Key ideas from the chapter:- Integrate and teach learning strategies across the curriculum
- Emphasize reading comprehension strategies
- Make learning strategies immediately applicable - This is so students don't forget!
- Use a variety of SDAIE strategies and techniques - You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Consult ELL resources like WIDA, TESOL and SDAIE.
Check out these resources online for teaching strategies to ELLs!WIDATESOLSDAIE Strategies
Key ideas from the chapter:- Establish a classroom community that values and celebrates diversity - Extend this to your whole school through a multicultural day.
- Seek out and exploit student common ground - Show how students are more similar than different through multicultural lessons. For example, show the similarities between holidays in different cultures.
- Provide frequent opportunities for meaningful collaborative work
- See conflicts as inevitable but solvable given critical reflection and persistence - Research cultural differences and make other teachers aware of these.
Key ideas from the chapter:- Establish a classroom community that values and celebrates all languages and dialects - Create a bulletin board using realia with students' native languages (i.e. Spanish newspapers, Cantonese cereal boxes, German magazines). Buy or check out multilingual books for your classroom library.
- Encourage parents to develop and maintain primary language at home - Many parents of ELLs are tempted to speak English-only with their students at home. Encourage parents to speak their native language at home; learning from the first language will transfer to the second language.
- Offer primary language support through bilingual parent and community volunteers, cross-age tutors, and extended day programs - Invite parents to an open house and use bilingual interpreters from the community. Invite bilingual college students to volunteer in your classroom and read with children.
- Learn and use some second language yourself with students - You don't have to learn an entire new language. Ask student to teach you a few words and phrases from their native language!
- Understand the differences between supporting and developing the primary language - You don't have to know Russian to teach a Russian ELL English! You can help your student by implementing the previous suggestions in your classroom.
Key ideas from the chapter:- Design programs around rich, engaging content
- Apply SDAIE strategies across all activities - SDAIE (Specifically Designed Academic Instruction in English) Strategies include lowering the student's affective filter, modifying speech, using context clues, giving students multisensory experiences, providing comprehensible input, conducting frequent comprehension checks, and not watering down the content!
- Use artifacts to boost content and language learning - Use realia, audiovisual materials, overhead transparencies, an ELMO, or audio-visual material.
- Emphasize collaborative over individual work!
Key ideas from the chapter:- Have students write for real-world purposes - Maybe have students create a newsletter about natural medicine use in their country.
- Base writing content on student interests - If an ELL loves soccer, have him write about the World Cup and his favorite team.
- Understand the terrors and limitations of "compliance" writing
- Emphasize process over product, wholes over pieces
- Use a variety of writing supports (group composing, graphic organizers, drawing-based text, "skeletons") - Have students write papers together instead of individually.
Key ideas from the chapter:- Teach a variety of reading comprehension strategies
- Use text tours, graphic organizers, and main idea signposts
- Do think-out-loud modeling - Literally speak your thoughts out loud so students learn new problem-solving strategies.
- Offer multiple paths into the text
- Make text meaningful with personal stories - Share stories so students can connect and remember information.
Key ideas from the chapter:- Increase time and opportunities for meaningful talk - Don't tell your students to "hush" all the time! Allow them to talk.
- Reduce teacher talk - Let your students speak; don't talk all the time.
- Incorporate students' personal interests - Talk about things the students like to talk about sometimes. It doesn't always have to be academic-related.
- Provide emotional "safe group" for language risk-taking - Build relationships in your class so students will feel comfortable enough to speak.
- Encourage English speaking while honoring students' first language
