A1 I’m Karen Nemeth, cohost of #ELLCHAT I’m an author/consultant about supporting ELLs/DLLs in early childhood. I’m replying to the first question using A1 for the matching answer so people can follow the conversation. And I never forget to add the hashtag!!
A1) Hello #ELLCHAT friends! I'm Carol Salva. I'm from Houston, Tx.
I'm an education consultant & author. I've taught elementary thru High School with a focus on off level #ELs.
I'm excited to be here.
#ELLchat
Shawn Slakk. I taught ESL and heritage Spanish.
Now I teach teachers how to work w/ their content to make it accessible for #ELs plus literacy in their content.
A1. Good evening! I'm Emily, I am a Yr 2 Teacher Candidate from Ottawa, Canada and I am teaching Gr 9 geography and Gr 9 science (both in French!), and Gr 9 girls gym (in English, thank goodness!). #ELLchat
Well, you came to the right #ELLCHAT tonight! We operate by posting questions every few minutes and responding to those questions with ideas, questions and resources. Then @HSeslteacher saves the links of the chat!
I’m looking forward to hearing from you tonight!
#ELLchat
Shawn Slakk. I taught ESL and heritage Spanish.
Now I teach teachers how to work w/ their content to make it accessible for #ELs plus literacy in their content.
A2) We should share with content teachers that ELs are every bit as intelligent as the native speakers. They are capable and much of what you do for them will benefit all learners.
#ellchat
A2 One of the most critical tenets that preK and K teachers need to know about teaching young DLLs/ELLs - is the most important thing is to help them understand what’s going on - to comprehend content before you even think of teaching them English! #ELLCHAT
A2) The Ts in my buildings have a hard time understanding that accommodations and methodology change over time. Students progress and the scaffolds we use must adapt. #ellchat
I agree with you that making content comprehensible is so important. El Ss need to work with the content even if they do not understand everything. #ellchat
A2) Asset-based perspectives and that an ELD level does not reflect a lack of intellect or content knowledge. Our ELs have a lot to offer in the classroom. #ELLCHAT
A2) #ELLCHAT
Every teacher is a literacy teacher of their content.
The silent Ss are only silent because teachers haven't expected participation nor provided the proper support for #ELs to feel comfortable enough to participate.
A2 i agree also for preK - tchrs often ask for the “right way” when really they have to be able to respond to the changing needs of each child - and that’s harder for us to teach to teachers! #ELLCHAT
A2) The Ts in my buildings have a hard time understanding that accommodations and methodology change over time. Students progress and the scaffolds we use must adapt. #ellchat
A2) The Ts in my buildings have a hard time understanding that accommodations and methodology change over time. Students progress and the scaffolds we use must adapt. #ellchat
I think understanding content and learning English can be done at the same time. Otherwise, you assume that the teachers speaks the same language as the students. #ELLCHAT
A2 One of the most critical tenets that preK and K teachers need to know about teaching young DLLs/ELLs - is the most important thing is to help them understand what’s going on - to comprehend content before you even think of teaching them English! #ELLCHAT
A2) The Ts in my buildings have a hard time understanding that accommodations and methodology change over time. Students progress and the scaffolds we use must adapt. #ellchat
A2. Disclaimer: NOT an ESL teacher, learned my stuff from past Associate Teachers and mentors like @MsSalvac . But visuals have always been an important part of my teaching. And, more recently, allowing student talk time has been a game-changer! #ELLchat
A2. Disclaimer: NOT an ESL teacher, learned my stuff from past Associate Teachers and mentors like @MsSalvac . But visuals have always been an important part of my teaching. And, more recently, allowing student talk time has been a game-changer! #ELLchat
Yes on comprehensible input! Also, expressing knowledge in different ways. 1 test we just had was the lab equipment. The test was just matching definitions, but the NOTES were pics and defs! We had to go back and modify the test to include pics and boom the Ss did so much better!
A2 I agree visuals are important, but choosing them takes alot of skill/knowledge. This video example shows tchrs how the images on the wall and in book don’t really help the “children” understand. https://t.co/Zu363xp6Xh (btw lots of our members are not ESL tchrs!) #ELLCHAT
A2. Disclaimer: NOT an ESL teacher, learned my stuff from past Associate Teachers and mentors like @MsSalvac . But visuals have always been an important part of my teaching. And, more recently, allowing student talk time has been a game-changer! #ELLchat
A3) We can do SO MUCH to make our content comprehensible. Some ideas include:
*activate prior knowledge
*use gestures
*show examples
*use graphic organizers
*use visuals
*give step-by-step directions
#ellchat
A3) #ELLCHAT
All teachers, content or not can preach key vocabulary that students are about to read so that they have contextual meanings for the vocab or phrases they are about to read.
A3 Fast 5 Gamechangers Support Math Learning for Young DLLs https://t.co/R5lZu6oRYs For younger learners, so important to choose relatable topics and materials #ELLCHAT
A2 - that language teaching and content teaching are not separate- it's not scary or hard to do both- just a new mindset- and what's good for your ELLs benefits everyone #ELLCHAT
A3: Connect to prior knowledge, use visuals, graphic organizers, models & real objects, & provide native language support are few ways to make content comprehensible #ELLChat
Good point about Admin understanding how all teachers are language teachers otherwise they too may not understand the need for scaffolding in content classes #ellchat
I wonder how many on #ELLCHAT know that we use the term dual language learner to refer to children under age 6 who are learning 2 or more languages, and ELLs for older children (per U.S. DOE and HHS) #ELLCHAT
A3 I always say “A child’s interests reveal their prior knowledge” so following child’s lead is key to comprehensible input. Easier to learn an English word for a familiar topic than to learn new content AND new language! #ELLCHAT
A3) I encourage teachers to chunk the information also. Students get overwhelmed! What do they NEED to know right now? Start with that and build on it! #ellchat
I know! I have to always watch myself. When typing I try to say ELLs/DLLs so I don’t lose anybody, but I often slip up one way or the other when speaking! #ELLCHAT
A3) I encourage teachers to chunk the information also. Students get overwhelmed! What do they NEED to know right now? Start with that and build on it! #ellchat
I agree L1 can help. But I think teachers need a strategy/plan for when to use L1. I have seen teachers use too much L1 because they find it more efficient and deny students opportunities for L2 interaction & input. This is probably a bigger issue in EFL contexts. #ELLChat
A3 Even preK children can benefit from these ideas. But with younger ones, I’d start introducing these tactics in their home language then build to English. Word webs with pictures for younger children, right? #ELLCHAT
A4 Google Classroom has been a great way to organize and share content in a different way. I have created slides with videos, visuals and vocabulary that Ss can use anytime as a support. #ELLCHAT
A4) Science and social studies textbooks can be difficult for native speakers. We want to decide what is important and make that accessible to our ELLs. Preteach vocab and key concepts. #ELLCHAT
A3 Good point - there are no hard and fast rules about how much L1 and how much L2 to use, so that is hard to teach to teachers - it’s like you have to teach them how to use their own judgement. #ELLCHAT
I agree L1 can help. But I think teachers need a strategy/plan for when to use L1. I have seen teachers use too much L1 because they find it more efficient and deny students opportunities for L2 interaction & input. This is probably a bigger issue in EFL contexts. #ELLChat
A4)
Works great to provide table tents, sentence starters, and use Think-Alouds to show thinking and processing strategies.
Partner Reading and Summarizing helps w/ comprehension.
#ELLCHAT
A4) In order to build appropriate adaptive materials and prompts, GL Ts need to understand the lang needs of the ELLs/DLLs and with @WIDAConsortium CAN DO descriptors can give lots of help #ellchat
A4 This often-cited article describes value of “vocabulary bridging” intentional connection between familiar words in L1 and new English words https://t.co/B35tnVQZSI#ELLCHAT
A4) for intermediate and higher Ss, I would encourage Ts to preteach vocab RATHER than adapt prompts. For newcomers..well preteach the vocab for them too! We redid an plot chart for mainstream English 1 with a reading from the ESL class to show understanding! #vocabulary#ellchat
A2: In reading @TonyaWardSinger's "El Excellence Every Day", this message resonated so strong within my heart- 'Ss [who don't] feel like part of the classroom community can look to the teacher like lack of motivation or lack of initiative for learning.'
#IncludeThem#EllChat
A4) I once led a project in my school to rewrite our social studies book so that the content was accessible to ELLs. it was very difficult and in the end I don't think it was worth it because the classroom teachers didn't use it. #ellchat
A4) Remove unnecessary and/or confusing language. The @WIDA Can-Dos seem to be helpful for content teachers new to ESL especially when creating assessments. #ELLCHAT
A4- choosing resources that everyone can enjoy at all levels (wordless books are amazing), using adapted texts at a variety of levels (guided reading resources, newslea), letting kids do most of the talking instead of you... #ELLCHAT
A2: In reading @TonyaWardSinger's "El Excellence Every Day", this message resonated so strong within my heart- 'Ss [who don't] feel like part of the classroom community can look to the teacher like lack of motivation or lack of initiative for learning.'
#IncludeThem#EllChat
A4: I've started saying "elaborated texts" rather than adapted to stress importance of scaffolding for rigor rather than simplifying texts https://t.co/fV6wRWOa72#ELLChat
Agreed! Good teachers know that students don't have to know EVERYTHING to show mastery. Our biology teachers have been fantastic models for this! #ellchat
A4 UDL for the Early Childhood Classroom (my book w/ @pambrillante) gives practical strategies to adapt classrooms proactively so tchrs are not scrambling to adjust #ELLCHAT
A4) It can be useful to teach the important vocabulary after a first reading as well so students can see how the vocabulary is used in a text first. #ellchat
A4) for intermediate and higher Ss, I would encourage Ts to preteach vocab RATHER than adapt prompts. For newcomers..well preteach the vocab for them too! We redid an plot chart for mainstream English 1 with a reading from the ESL class to show understanding! #vocabulary#ellchat
A4) Remove unnecessary and/or confusing language. The @WIDAConsortium Can-Dos seem to be helpful for content teachers new to ESL, especially when creating assessments. #ELLCHAT
A4) I teach 6th grade Ss. This is our 2nd year with ELLs in our district. We have Marshleese. I use an interactive journal, videos, as many visuals as possible, etc. #ELLCHAT
L1 always supports learning & I believe L1 should always be integrated into the classroom to some extent. In addition to helping Ss learn, use of L1 lets Ss know we value their home languages, & that English is NOT the most important. #ELLCHAT
A4: I've started saying "elaborated texts" rather than adapted to stress importance of scaffolding for rigor rather than simplifying texts https://t.co/fV6wRWOa72#ELLChat
A4) Train older #ELs on ways to adapt text & find native language support w tech.(like a right click in @googlechrome)
We can't put all the responsibility on them but they deserve to know what's available. #ELLChat
So many cognates in Science! Ss smile when they realize that they can figure out the word. It helps if they are literate in their own language. #ELLchat
Such an excellent idea! I always forget to do that. It also helps break up waiting to read because you have to go over the vocab! We have done a LOT of vocab collection so far this year. I need to find a good method of creating personal dictionaries that last all year! #ellchat
A4) Train older #ELs on ways to adapt text & find native language support w tech.(like a right click in @googlechrome)
We can't put all the responsibility on them but they deserve to know what's available. #ELLChat
Q5) What types of articles, books and other resources about teaching ELLs do you find beneficial for the content area/classroom teachers in your school? #ellchat
A4 I agree this is good strategy so I made my own book of Spanish/English cognates organized by subject/domain areas for young children. https://t.co/oTBRdr32Gx#ELLCHAT
So many cognates in Science! Ss smile when they realize that they can figure out the word. It helps if they are literate in their own language. #ELLchat
A5) Just came across this excellent article by @ValentinaESL Share this with content teachers!
file:///Users/judie/Desktop/18%20Ways%20You%20Can%20Support%20Your%20English%20Learners.html #ELLCHAT
A4) I’ve found tons of success w giving Ss something that’s relatable and transferable first. They feel successful and then we up the ante with something more rigorous. #ELLchat
A5 All teachers of young DLLs/ELLs can find a wealth of resources at this Dual Language Learner Toolkit from federal offices of Head Start and child care https://t.co/wg8ASQRdI3#ELLCHAT
Q5) What types of articles, books and other resources about teaching ELLs do you find beneficial for the content area/classroom teachers in your school? #ellchat
A5- PWIM, effective visuals, duolanguage books, having culturally significant books in your room/wordless texts that everyone can enjoy- basically anything that supports ELLs=benefits all of your students #ellchat
A5 The MOST up-to-date comprehensive compilation of research and teaching strategies with a whole collection of videos and other supports: Promoting Educational Success of Children and Youth Learning English: Promising Futures https://t.co/xVYQLM7JiU#ELLCHAT
A5 and to help school leaders understand: Young Dual Language Learners: A Guide for PreK - 3 Leaders (edited with writings by 45 national experts including @JudieHaynes) #ELLCHAT
A5 Follow @MsSalvac too! Boosting Achievement was a hit in our district! So many good resources. Follow #Ellchat_BkClub and see all the books we have read. #ELLCHAT
