General Information and Instructional Strategies for the Classroom Teacher

 

The new ESL students will not be able to take on all the content areas at once.  ELL students need success to keep fueling their desire to learn.  You will want to set a finite and do-able sets of tasks each day.  Choose one content area in which the newcomer will be responsible.  (During class time devoted to other subjects, allow ELL students to work independently.)

 

Math is the first choice of most teachers.  However, if the student is nowhere near grade level in math, this will not work.  In that case, science is a good second choice.  Science can be made very visual and concrete, with hands-on learning opportunities; most students like it, and it does not require previous mastery of earlier foundations the way math does.

 

Allow for success in one area to occur before inviting the student to tackle more.   (The lower the grade, the sooner additional subject responsibilities can be added.)  Ask the students how many hours of homework they are doing before you add more responsibilities.  (Many ambitious students will spend three to six hours after school struggling with dictionaries and parents to translate texts; they are overwhelmed with the impossibility of doing it all – help them by giving them reasonable goals and responsibilities.  Remind them to play, get exercise and fresh air, make friends, and participate in extra-curricular activities.)

 

Strategies:

 

Language Experience  Use common, everyday experiences as a way of making words and communication meaningfully to the student.  Use appropriate vocabulary, phrases and commands.  Begin with greetings and survival responses.  Language takes on meaning when used in the context of situations.  Isolated, it has no meaning.  Also, begin with present tense verbs until a language base has been established.

 

Physical Response (TPR)  Listening skills can be developed by using commands.  Physical responses resulting from these commands will add to the student’s understanding.  Begin with spatial concepts such as in, on, between, in front of, in back of, etc.  Demonstrate the concepts by placing objects, having students place objects or having the students place themselves in relationship to other things in space.  Movement and manipulation have a direct correlation to improved memory.  By physically taking part and experiencing things and events, the students are more likely to understand as well as remember the concepts being dealt with.

 

Modeling  Correct grammar and intonation, as well as speaking in complete sentences, should be modeled by the teacher and other fluent speakers of English.  Pronunciation should not be stressed in the beginning, so long as words are understandable.  This becomes explanation by example.

 

Role-Play  Acting-out and verbalizing life-like situations are ways of  expanding the student’s experiences as well as introducing vocabulary appropriate to specific situations (such as trips to the store, having dinner, and visiting the doctor’s office).

 

Cognitive Exercises  Talk through thinking activities.  Compare, contrast, classify, discuss relationships and steps in completing a task, as well as other critical thinking activities.  This changes what is normally intuitive (insightful) behavior into overt (outward) behavior and makes it much easier for ELL students to understand.

 

Games  Many games can be used or adapted to provide stress-free oral activities in a natural setting.  Path-type games, “concentration”, and “bingo” are examples of easily adaptable games.  Games stimulate interest, increase motivation and provide many opportunities for verbalization.

 

Read and Write  It is better to use a whole-word approach to teach reading and writing to ELL students.  Phonics instruction confuses the student by concentration on differences rather than similarities between the native and second language.  Read-alongs, labeling of real objects in the school and/or home, and picture files or dictionaries created by the student can be very useful in developing vocabulary.  These techniques also stress different learning modes (visual, tactile, kinesthetic as well as auditory), thereby increasing retention.  Of the three learning modes, ELL students will be weakest in auditory learning.  It is unrealistic to expect them to listen to incomprehensible language for more than a few minutes before tuning out.  But if you provide illustrations, dramatic gestures, actions, emotions, voice variety, blackboard sketches, photos, demonstrations, or hands-on materials, that same student can direct his or her attention continuously.  Adding visuals and kinesthetic support along with the language will provide comprehensible input.

 

Songs, Puppets, Plays  Motivate conversation and help students retain concepts centered around a theme using these types of activities.  Music or rhythm greatly increases memory (think about the ABC song).  Puppet shows and plays, like role-playing, allow the students to experience situations in which they might not normally feel comfortable.

 

Dictation  Dictation allows the student writing practice without the added stress of composition.  It can also give correct modeling of spelling, grammar, etc.  Labeling of objects in the student’s environment is a kind of “visual dictation” and gives occasion for repeated association which increased memory.

 

Tape Recording  Allowing the student to tell a story or read into a tape recorder, gives the student practice verbalizing in the least threatening way.  This also allows the teacher to check the student’s progress before writing skills have been developed.   Tape-record a part of a chapter of the content area text being studied so the student can read along and hear the sound of the language.   Students may even be tested in this manner by having them listen to a question and then record their answers on the tape recorder.

 

Let them know they are included.   Make eye contact with your ELL students, mention their names during your reading or presentation, smile, wink, and occasionally stand near their desk so they know you have not forgotten them.

 

Pair or Group Students  Whether you have a whole language classroom or not, pair or group students so that the ELL student is not isolated, but is part of a team.  Have groups brainstorm what roles their non-English speaking members can play (helping with illustrations, charts, maps, calculations, folders, covers, labels, etc.  Or provide roles for the ELL such that the other students must interact with them to complete projects or obtain needed knowledge.  Hold the group responsible for the ELL students learning (example: that they be able to identify places on a map, or answer one simple question, or state two key sentences, etc.).

 

Dictionaries  If possible have a bilingual dictionary for daily use.  This is a powerful tool in communication and confidence building for the upper elementary student.  Students should each have a personal copy if possible and carry it with them to all classes.  For content area instruction you may give the students a list of key words to find in their bilingual dictionaries.  There is often a wealth of information written in the native language explaining English grammar, customs, weights, measures, coinage.  The students may be unaware that it is there, so you can point it out to them.  The Oxford Picture Dictionary, for example, also has a workbook with many aids to language learning.

 

Spelling   Many ELL students pick up spelling and vocabulary best by extensive reading for academic purposes and for pleasure, just as native speakers of English do.  They learn most quickly those words that they need when engaged in purposeful writing tasks.  Allowing for ‘invented spelling’ frees students up for faster flowing creative expression in writing.  Provide the proper spelling in a word bank at the bottom of a page of their writing when you review the paper, and have them locate the words they need to correct from this word bank.  Don’t fill the papers with red circles around incorrectly spelled words.  They’ll get too discouraged and concerned with correct spelling to be able to write.

 

Encourage students to create their own lists of spelling words, study them and work with a partner testing each other.

 

If you must have traditional spelling word exercises and spelling tests, it is easy to incorporate ELL students immediately.  They can participate in spelling tests if you adjust the number of words they are responsible for and select those words that can be demonstrated or illustrated.

 

Tailor Assignments to fit the ability of the students  Adjust and limit reading assignments.  If the student is adept at rote memorization, let them use it.  The self-esteem boost from demonstrating accomplishments such as these are worth their efforts, and the rote-learned information will not go to waste. Provide additional pictures, visuals, and hands-on activities wherever you can.  Provide a simplified and routinized means of handling content-area textbook assignments well before they can read the text.  For more advanced students, choose one page or column from each chapter, so the assignment is manageable.  (If you photocopy the page, students can write directly on it and highlight important points and vocabulary.)  You can direct simple questions to the student on this content during oral discussions.  On your unit tests, include some uncomplicated multiple-choice questions based on this content.  This will allow the ELL student to learn valuable information and feel successful.

 

Tailor Your Oral Questions to Get Better Feedback  Questions not only give you feedback on the students’ understanding but are an excellent language teaching tool.  Here is a hierarchy of questions to ask ELL students:

• Ask the newcomer to point to items in a picture, words on the blackboard, or locations on a map.  If they can’t understand the directions or the vocabulary, have another student demonstrate the answer.  Then ask the newcomer the same question in the same words.  Repetition in this manner builds success.
• Ask simple, illustrated questions that can be answered with yes or no.  (Example: Holding a picture of the White House and pointing to places on a map: “Is the White House in California?”  “Is the White House in Washington D.C.?”)
• Ask questions that may be answered in a single word or phrase, supply the answer embedded in an either/or question.  (Example: “Is the White house in California or Washington, D.C.?”)
• Watch your students’ body English.  A student may know an answer but be fearful, and raise his hand hesitantly only a few inches.  Catch that, and support the students in gaining the confidence to answer.

 

One Word Answers are Sufficient  Do not require that your ELL student put their oral answers into complete sentences.  This will reduce their ability to participate.  Accept one-word answers, and sometimes supply the complete sentences in your acknowledgment.  (Example: Teacher- “Where is the White House?”  Student- “Washeeton Nee cee.”  Teacher – “Right!  The White House is in Washington, D.C.”)  Also, if pronunciation of a correct answer is abominable, never mind.  Say “That’s Right!”  and state the answer correctly.  Don’t ask the student to repeat the answer in front of the class, as it may raise anxiety to have this much public attention.  Save corrections and pronunciation practice for when the student is working in a small group or one-on-one situation.  Sensitize your mainstream students to this and they will be supportive when the newcomers are answering questions. 

 

The typical time lag a teacher allows after a question is 5 seconds.  An ELL student may know the answer but need an allowance of 15 to 20 seconds to get through the extra thinking time required to frame the answer verbally.  Write out this list of responses for your newcomer and have them practice saying them.  “I don’t understand the question.”  “I understand the question, but I don’t know the answer.”  I know the answer, but I can’t say it.”  “Please wait.”  Don’t frustrate your beginning ESL students by asking How, Why, What Happened, What’s the difference between… or other analytical questions requiring a good deal of fluency in English to answer.

 

Break Complex Questions into Their Components  Rather than asking, “What are the people in this picture doing?”  try something like: “Look at this picture.  (Pause) Point to the people. (Student points) What are they doing?”

 

Independent Work  ELL students need to learn that they are accountable for the productive use of their time even when they are not involved with the class lessons.  Helping them develop good work habits and be self-directed from the beginning will take some of your time, but it pays big dividends.  Make an effort at the beginning to personally go over the instructions and assignments for the ELL students; interact with them and look over the written work they have completed.  Set standards of neatness, amount of time to be spent working, and so forth, and demonstrate them.  When you are satisfied that the students have begun to internalize your standards for themselves, you can hand over the routine explanations and corrections of assignments and activity sheets to buddies, paraprofessionals, or volunteers.  You then supply the smiles, encouragement, and final acknowledgment of the day’s work without having to be involved in things that can be delegated.

 

Copy Work  One of the first things ELL students can be productively employed in is copy work.  There are plenty of things they may copy.  Match the student’s abilities with what they copy so it is not pure busywork, but develops some skill.  For example, students whose native language does not use the Roman alphabet will benefit from copying letters, their own names, the names of objects, and words from picture dictionaries.  Students who know the shapes and sounds of our letters can progress to copying stories that have been read to them, captions under pictures in their context books, a paragraph from a context book. 

 

Copying exercises develops fine motor skills, letter formation, left-to-right progression, vocabulary, spelling, word order, punctuation, sentence structure familiarity, and content-area knowledge.  But, don’t overdo it.  And don’t make busywork out of it.  Remember that learning is unlikely to occur if the student doesn’t first know the sounds and meanings of the words he or she is copying!

 

Minimum Language Curriculum  Keep the student’s interest and give them successful experiences by alternating periods of high language activity with other activities which require less use of language such as art, music, physical education, and math. Keep in mind that this is WORK for both of you.  Like your other students, the ELL students need daily opportunities for success in your class.  They will learn best in low-anxiety situations, where they are challenged at an appropriate level and are not called on to perform alone above the level of competence.  Use student feedback and performance to judge what that appropriate level is.  Give lots and lots of encouragement.  Errors will abound; focus your attention on the efforts and accomplishments.

 

Always allow students to work from their strengths so they may feel successful.  Success breeds success.  Students who feel smart learn faster.  Conversely, the more anxiety students experience, the less alert they are to language input.  Each child will do more, better and faster if given this feeling of success.  Encouragement counteracts frustration.  WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, be generous with your smiles and hugs.  If a student appears apathetic, fearful, or frustrated, break the state – administer a dose of smiles and encouragement.  Or have them take a deep breath, do some stretches, take a walk to the water fountain to get a fresh start with a motivated state.  Give students choices among activities when possible.