Teaching Principals in ELL

Professional Learning Community

By Beejal Sesha Patel

Introduction

Who is an (ELL) English Language Learner?

An ELL is a student in an English Language School whose first

Language is a language other than English!

This presentation will tell you about three main principles of teaching and learning for English Language Learners in a school setting.

Principles: 1.  The importance of the First language.

2.  Student Identity and Engagement.

3.  The Classroom Environment.

Student Identity and Engagement Everyone should feel respected and accepted!

Strategies for your classroom:   Get to know your students! – Plan activities

such as identity texts which inform you about your students’ interests and culture.

  Have day-to-day conversations about local events, sports, cultural events.

  Encourage students to share a greeting in their first language when taking roll call.

  Involve parents and members of the community, to show students that you are willing to provide them with all the support necessary.

  Be alert to students who may seem uncomfortable voicing their thoughts and make it safe for them to do so.

Background

Research has shown it has become critical to develop an awareness, understanding and respect for what matters to students, in order to improve the level of their engagement in classroom learning. Ensuring students are listened to and valued and respected for who they are leads to greater student engagement which, in turn, leads to greater student achievement (Cummins, et al., 2005). “Learning is a reciprocal process that requires teachers to help students learn with understanding” (Willms, friesen, & Milton, 2009).

Student Identity and Engagement Everyone should feel respected and accepted!

Strategies for your classroom:   Get to know your students! – Plan activities

such as identity texts which inform you about your students’ interests and culture.

  Have day-to-day conversations about local events, sports, cultural events.

  Encourage students to share a greeting in their first language when taking roll call.

  Involve parents and members of the community, to show students that you are willing to provide them with all the support necessary.

  Be alert to students who may seem uncomfortable voicing their thoughts and make it safe for them to do so.

Background

Research has shown it has become critical to develop an awareness, understanding and respect for what matters to students, in order to improve the level of their engagement in classroom learning. Ensuring students are listened to, valued and respected for who they are, leads to greater student engagement which, in turn, leads to greater student achievement (Cummins, et al., 2005). “Learning is a reciprocal process that requires teachers to help students learn with understanding” (Willms, friesen, & Milton, 2009).

The importance of first language use! Strategies for your classroom:

  Use the native language to introduce or confirm the meaning or understanding of a new item in the second language.

  Taking student feedback in their native language may be much more useful and accurate than if the student was to attempt to give feedback when they are not yet confident in English.

  Use some words in the first language of your ELLs, so that they are able to see that you are interested in their language and cultural backgrounds and this will demonstrate your willingness to learn another language to all your students!

Background

There is great evidence to suggest that the use of the first language can be highly beneficially when learning and teaching a second language. The three main benefits of this are: 1.The foundation that is laid for a second language. 2. An important tool for learning. 3. An important component of

personal and cultural identity.

The Classroom Environment Embracing all cultural and linguistic diversities

Strategies for your classroom:   Establish a classroom culture which is inclusive

of all cultural and linguistic diversities.   Have a buddy/peer reading/tutoring system in

place.   Co-create classroom rules encourage the use of

first languages in ELLs, to ensure understanding in students.

  Use bi-lingual visual aids and non-verbal posters and classroom displays.

  Provide ELL friendly resources.   Allow students to present their work in

different ways, preventing ELLs from being limited by written or oral communication only.

Background

A variety of educational, behavioural and linguistic theorists have concluded that the learning environment plays a critical component in supporting language development However, it is essential that students are able to feel safe, respected, valued and cared for within the classroom environment. Additionally, teachers must ensure that they are inclusive and equitable in all practices and at all times to ensure that students are given equitable opportunities to access learning at all times.

Resources

I hope you have enjoyed reading my presentation. If you are interested in finding out more about helping your English Language Learners, please have a look at the following resources: •  Capacity Building Series •  http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/

esl912currb.pdf •  Adding English: A Guide to teaching in Multilingual Classrooms

(Coelho, 2004) •  ESL teacher’s activities kit. (Elizabeth Claire, 2004) Thank you for taking the time to read this!