Hi @KarenNemethEdM & #Ellchat friends! I'm Carol Salva from Houston. I teach High School Newcomers. I'm an author and a consultant at @Seidlitz_Ed
I will be in and out but so excited about this very important topic! Thx to @judiehaynes, @HSeslteacher & the whole #ellchat crew!
A1 I’m Karen Nemeth, co-host of #ELLCHAT with @JudieHaynes and I am an author/consultant with expertise in supporting early learning for #PreK DLLs - located in eastern PA
A1 remember to start each tweet with the answer number to match the number of the question you answer - you’d be amazed at how helpful this is as people try to follow the chat stream…. and of course #ELLCHAT
A1. LeighAnn, pre-K to 2nd grade ESL teacher. This topic is something I care deeply about! Looking forward chatting & learning more with everyone tonight. #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT A2 I have students from many different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Also, since my Ss are adults, they work and have families. They are very busy. They may not have a lot of time to interact, so we try to build some of it into the class.
A2) We spend SO MUCH time creating a safe environment. Now theyre too friendly w each other. LOL!
Biggest challenge is that theyre not confident in their Gen ed classes which is to be expected as newcomers. We do a lot of work on helping them advocate 4 themselves. #ellchat
A2 One tough challenge for young children is they are still at the beginning of learning social skills, and no one teaches them how to adapt those new skills for friends who speak different languages! #ELLCHAT
A2 I think my students are very self conscious about their English and their knowledge of american culture, so they don’t put themselves out there in their gen ed classes #ELLchat
A2 - I agree, @HSeslteacher both cultural and language differences interfere. I just wonder if any teacher remembers learning how to help with peer interactions when they were studying to be a teacher. #ELLCHAT
A2 I think my students are very self conscious about their English and their knowledge of american culture, so they don’t put themselves out there in their gen ed classes #ELLchat
A2: My EL students tend to hang out in same L1 social groups out of class, even if they talk to students of different L1s or English L1 in class #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT Hello! I'm Christie Gordon at Taejon Christian International School in South Korea. I am in my second year as ELL Coordinator; my experience is in secondary as a Spanish and English teacher. Currently I offer ELL Support in Grade 10 Biology.
A2. I think sometimes lack of confidence using the language can cause ELLs to refrain from interacting with peers. In addition, social language is not always modeled for ELLs at all English proficiency levels. #ELLCHAT
A2
A challenge in my self-contained class is having students from different L1s/cultures interact effectively w/ one another. They like to stick with their own & sometimes have negative interactions with peers from different cultures (ex- Hispanics vs Farsi, Twi spkrs) #ellchat
A2) Great point. This happens so often. We can be on the lookout for this and even talk to the Ss about this reality. But also make sure they know it gets easier every day. #ellchat
Williams: Americans Love Simple Solutions, but the ‘English All the Time’ Approach to Teaching ELL Students Doesn’t Actually Seem to Work Very Well @The74#duallanguagehttps://t.co/FF7K7oklcE
We play a game in class where I hand out rules of behavior that contradict each other to two groups of students. They inevitably judge each other rude, only to discover they had been given these rules and told they were polite. Starts a great conversation every time. #ELLCHAT A2
A2 Biggest challenge that my Ss might face is speaking up or sharing their opinions in class. They talk in my classroom but feel shy in the regular classroom #ellchat
A2: Sometimes a lack of a clear structure for interaction and sufficient supports (word banks, sentence frames, background knowledge) limits ELL participation in discussions #ELLchat
A2 I think my students are very self conscious about their English and their knowledge of american culture, so they don’t put themselves out there in their gen ed classes #ELLchat
A2 One tough challenge for young children is they are still at the beginning of learning social skills, and no one teaches them how to adapt those new skills for friends who speak different languages! #ELLCHAT
A2) Agree 100%. As the Newcomer ELD teacher, almost ALL of my content is in some way building them up to offset this or creating opportunities for extracurricular get togethers. SO important for them and their families. #ellchat
Q3 How do you arrange your classroom to support the social and emotional learning of ELLs? Does the arrangement of space and furniture make a difference in supporting peer to peer interactions? #ELLCHAT
A2 #ELLCHAT What I like about it is that these rules seem neutral and reasonable. They do not force Ss to defend their culture of origin. We can talk about why there was a disconnect without anyone losing face. And when we exchange lists of rules, we see they all make sense.
A2 Don’t forget that each person is born with a temperamental level of shyness or lack thereof. We can’t wipe that out with lessons - but we can be aware and offer added supports #ELLCHAT
Totally agree! I know in some cultures it’s considered almost inappropriate for students to speak a lot in the classroom. Some students might need extra help being socialized into the American classroom where student discourse is essential for learning!
#ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT A3 Unfortunately, my classroom is not my classroom. It is just a room in which I, among others, get to teach a class. We are actually right now working to find a way to make it more friendly and welcoming to all students and teachers, without breaking fire codes. :)
A2) Yes. I adapted a social skills unit for my elementary ELLs by looking at what kinds of curriculum that special education teachers taught. It gave me a lot of ideas. #ELLchat
A3: a variety of grouping structures (pairs, teams of 4), a variety of desk heights (some on floor, some for standing, some for sitting), optional couch or bean bag area #Ellchat
A3 in preschool, room arrangement is considered part of the curriculum - very important in making peer interactions work. You don’t put the loud block area next to the quiet book area! #ELLCHAT
ELLs will only learn and grow if an adult will foster and promote SEL. Adults in schools, including admins and others, must be supportive and learn too. #ellchat
A3. I like to have a carpet or rug set aside specifically for class meetings or peer discussion where ELLs can sit in a circle. My desks are pushed into small groups of 3-4, which makes the room feel more collaborative & interactive for students. #ELLCHAT
A2: Yes, I can see how if the rules were associated with a certain culture, it could lead to defensiveness and blame.. I really like this idea - would you mind sharing an example of a rule? #ELLchat
A2 The need for more time to process the question given for Think-Pair-Share or partner work in Biology class. Also, they may need more structure built into activity to guide them in the interaction. "Talk about ___ with your partner" may not be enough guidance.
A3 One thing I like about this approach is it seems to say “your need to have conversations and plan together is more important than my need to control you with rows of desks!” #ELLCHAT
A3. I like to have a carpet or rug set aside specifically for class meetings or peer discussion where ELLs can sit in a circle. My desks are pushed into small groups of 3-4, which makes the room feel more collaborative & interactive for students. #ELLCHAT
A3 the classroom space is best for students when its organized well, welcoming, and clutter free. It should also represent the students. Student work displayed, diverse books #Ellchat
A3) Desk arrangement is critical for collaboration & support. It can change to fit your needs all the time. In under 30 seconds! Watch my Ss in this 3 min video: https://t.co/FF8Z7jCDpL. #ellchat
A3. I also like to give students options when I can so they can choose the tool or space where they think they’ll learn best that day. I love wobble cushions & portable lap trays/desks (thanks @HobbyLobby) for flexible seating. #ELLCHAT
A3 Also, in early childhood, some tchrs post reminders, like posters w/ photos of children sharing, or tags with home language phrases to encourage working and playing together - another way environment helps SEL #ELLCHAT
A3) Desk arrangement is critical for collaboration & support. It can change to fit your needs all the time. In under 30 seconds! Watch my Ss in this 3 min video: https://t.co/FF8Z7jCDpL. #ellchat
#ELLCHAT A2 You have to make them in pairs, one for each team:
A. Look down so as not to appear aggressive. B. Look everyone in the eye, so they can see you are honest. Or:
A. Reach out both hands, palms up, to show welcome. B. Put your hands at your sides, to show you're calm.
A3 Students need to be able to connect to the space- we need to be mindful of making it their learning space first, not only our teaching space. #ELLCHAT
A3: I think physical arrangement of classroom is important to encourage interaction, but still critical to build culture in class where Ss are expected to interact #ELLChat
A3
Flexible desks in pairs/groups helps but we must model for students what effective collaboration w/peers looks & sounds like! Have visuals that reinforce this, like the class social contract (@MsSalvac!) & anchor charts w/phrases to self-advocate (“instead of IDK:”) #ELLCHAT
a3) I don't have my own classroom. So I had to train the Ss to change the desks quickly. It's called Desk Olympics. Takes no time to train them and all year it pays off. #ellchat
A3 And what about the environment outside the classroom - are there images and words at school entrance? Library? Playground that make ELLs/DLLs feel welcome as they enter? #ELLCHAT
Right! Try sitting/ working in every area of the room--can you see the anchor charts? Word Walls? This is a powerful way to 'check' on the room structure. #ELLchat
Have you ever used @DonorsChoose? I have for two projects - a large carpet & for 12 wobble cushions! I bet you could get a couch or something very similar for your class. #ELLchat
A3 I could do a whole hour chat just on visual clutter in classrooms for ELLs/DLLs! When their brains are bombarded by so much challenge each day, the environment should be calming, not crazy! #ELLCHAT
A3 Students need to be able to connect to the space- we need to be mindful of making it their learning space first, not only our teaching space. #ELLCHAT
#ELLchat YES thanks to our wonderful principal @derrickhershey he had our school painted with We are Connected written in languages represented in our school.
A3 And what about the environment outside the classroom - are there images and words at school entrance? Library? Playground that make ELLs/DLLs feel welcome as they enter? #ELLCHAT
A3 Students are seated at tables instead of rows. They have to speak to each other. Small communities of learners who interact with each other. Mixed language groupings encourages English use. #ellchat
A3 I could do a whole hour chat just on visual clutter in classrooms for ELLs/DLLs! When their brains are bombarded by so much challenge each day, the environment should be calming, not crazy! #ELLCHAT
A3 Making a welcoming classroom for ELLs - from @ColorinColoradohttp://www.colorincolorado.org/teaching-ells/creating-welcoming-classroom/social-emotional-support-ells-and-immigrant-students #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT A4 I like to get them to share about their experience about the subject matter or about something they enjoy doing. Get them to feel more comfortable in the classroom.
A3 #ELLCHAT When a student is absent in my class, others jump in ready to teach them what they missed. Builds community and a sense of expertise. Plus less work for me. Everyone wins.
A4 we have about 30 minutes of SEL instruction every day. Our school social worker comes to work with our ELs once a week, and the rest of the time we teach calm down strategies, goal setting, social skills, appropriate reactions to problems, etc #ELLchat
A4 we also do check in and outs at the beginning and end of class where they tell me and each other how they’re feeling and why (either out loud or on the back of their exit ticket) #ELLchat
Q4) Role playing different scenarios. Ss brainstorm different options, act them out, choose those that 'work' for solving a problem or challenging situation. #Ellchat
A4
In my co-taught class, I’ve modeled with my co-teacher how we used sentence frames to have structured, respectful convos on content. We point out skills that good listeners and communicators need to be have and give students time to practice them in class. #ellchat
#ELLCHAT A4 One of my students just had a baby. The rest of us are plotting a baby shower in class. Learning vocab, writing cards, getting ready for baby fun.
#ellchat Q3 I like seating students to face each other (groups of 3-4) to encourage interaction. I like flexible seating options, like floor cushions and some seats where Ss can choose to work alone at times, though.
A4. I use a lot of sentence stems & frames for conversation that allow even beginner ELLs to participate in conversations. Students know where to look for a model frame in the classroom when they aren’t sure how to respond to a question or statement. #ELLCHAT
A4. I use a lot of sentence stems & frames for conversation that allow even beginner ELLs to participate in conversations. Students know where to look for a model frame in the classroom when they aren’t sure how to respond to a question or statement. #ELLCHAT
A4 I actually wrote research-based intentional strategies for helping young ELLs/DLLs communicate with and learn with peers into a storybook!! https://t.co/Dhx5X9np0g#ELLCHAT
A4: My class is working on Socratic Seminars now to practice having respectful conversations! We use sentence frames and preparation worksheets to help students feel ready to speak #ellchat
A4) Give ELLs encouraging messages every day. Messages such as “I like the way you…” encourage ELLs Use gestures to accompany your positive message (thumbs up, smile) so that ELLs will understand that you are saying something positive. #ellchat
A4 Classroom teachers at my school have morning meetings where Ss share thoughts on various topics including the 7 mindsets. We are big in trying to connect with Ss in our school #ELLCHAT
A4
In grad school I learned “me, we, two, you.” Kind of like I do, we do, you do, but the inclusion of partner work adds an additional level of collaboration and scaffolding!
Me- teacher models, students watch
We- teacher works w/ class
Two- partner work
You- individual
#ELLChat
A3: When thinking about our Ss information overload Check Yourself!: How Language Input and Wait Time Can Make or Break Instruction For English Learners https://t.co/NgVHuQuhKt#ELLCHAT
A4 Classroom teachers at my school have morning meetings where Ss share thoughts on various topics including the 7 mindsets. We are big in trying to connect with Ss in our school #ELLCHAT
A4 we use the academic conversations framework to teach our students body language for conversations and sentence frames for different talk moves #ellchat
A4 And, think of the importance of language and wait time in peer interactions! That’s actually one of the behaviors that research shows you can teach to young children to improve their social interactions! #ELLCHAT
A3: When thinking about our Ss information overload Check Yourself!: How Language Input and Wait Time Can Make or Break Instruction For English Learners https://t.co/NgVHuQuhKt#ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT A5 I like to play "This reminds me." When someone mentions something they are experiencing, I try to find a poem or text it reminds me of that we can all look at together. Gives us vocabulary and a way to talk about it at one remove if it's something heavy...
A5) Through scenarios--either video clips that show common concerns for Ss or role plays. Build the vocabulary and structures around these scenarios. Ss transfer to their lives. #Ellchat
#ELLCHAT A5 Listening to them and building their trust. I generally start working with ELLs as 10th graders or older, but helping them navigate the world of HS one class at a time.
Combining A3 and A4 - in a classroom with rich, engaging materials, high quality peer interactions are bound to happen! https://t.co/hozdcB5SUq#ELLCHAT
A5 Practice expressing emotions. It is important to connect with Ss and know when they are not having a good day. We need to give them the tools to express what they feel #ELLCHAT
A4. My colleague, the Learning Support Coordinator, uses picture books to to teach SEL. @MrsGodsiff#bookaday We have done this together in some lessons. Engaging, entertaining for kids, and good jump-off to short discussions. #ellchat
A5) To help Ss with description of emotions in speech and writing, have them describe a partner acting out an emotion (e.g. for 'angry'--tight fists, frowning, squinting eyes, red cheeks, etc.) They learn descriptive words as well as embodying emotions. #ELLchat
Q6 What kinds of professional development and other assistance does your school district provide to help teachers support the SEL of their ELLs? #ELLCHAT
Q6 What kinds of professional development and other assistance does your school district provide to help teachers support the SEL of their ELLs? #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT A6 I am lucky to work for a college, and get to go to professional conferences. There is nothing like learning from colleagues from around the world who are passionate about teaching what I teach.
Q6 we read several books like”reaching and teaching children who hurt” and our SIFE team did a trauma sensitive training at the beginning of the school year. #ELLCHAT
#ELLCHAT A6 We have had district training provided by our ESL coach as well as have been offered courses for teachers to take if they choice to. I know she makes herself available to work with teachers to help meet the needs our ELL students.
A6 There are many webinars for teachers, but I don’t know of any about teaching SEL to ELLs to support peer interaction. Some of you should produce one! #ELLCHAT
We have sessions at our annua@summer academy but only ELL teachers attend. We need more admin support to help educate all teachers about our awesome ELLs. #ELLChat
