Teaching English Language Learners
Addressing ELL Students in the Classroom
In my future classroom, I will do my best to address the needs of English Language Learners. I will find and utilize all resources available to me to help communicate with ELL students and help them learn and be engaged in the classroom. I will work with the ELL students to find out which strategies work best for them. Below are specific strategies that I believe I will rely on most when working with English Language Learners.
Using Multiple Assessments for Varying Purposes
By administering assessment along the learning process for ELL learners, as well as for the rest of my classroom, I will be able to collect data on how well the students are understanding and learning the material. By gathering this data throughout the learning process, I can adjust how I teach the concepts so that the students may better understand and comprehend.
Provide Hands-On, Interactive Learning Activities
This strategy works well for ELL learners, as well as other students in the classroom. Manipulatives can be used by all students to experience tactile learning, creating more connections to the concepts learned in class than just by reading or taking notes. Interactive activities provide learning that can cross language boundaries so that any student can learn new concepts and make new connections.
Provide Redundant Information, Such as Gestures and Visual Cues
Gestures are a great way to relay information when language is seen as a barrier. By using motions with your hands and overall postures when explaining an idea to an ELL learner, or any learner, students have a visual aid that helps the students find meaning and understanding in what the teacher is saying.
Use Pictures, Demonstrations, and Real-Life Objects
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Pictures show concepts that can be seen and understood through any language. Demonstrations provide opportunities for students to watch exactly how a concept or idea works so that connections between the demo and the language can be made with slightly less effort. This strategy benefits ELL learners, as well as other students in the classroom.