A1. Louise El Yaafouri, Newcomer ELD & Cultural Competency consultant + author. Denver based, but joining from Saida, Lebanon. Glad to catch another #ellchat!
A1 hi #ELLCHAT I’m Valentina from Texas. I’m a professional development specialist for teachers of ELs working for a district & for @Seidlitz_Ed. I hope to pop in to this chat tonight!
A1 I’m Karen Nemeth - co-host of #ELLCHAT and I’m a consultant/author focusing on preK and K children who are ELs/DLLs from Lehigh Valley, PA. And, apparently my Tweetdeck is slow since I didn’t see that @judiehaynes already asked this!
A2 For young children starting preK or K in a language that’s not their strongest, just understanding words and concepts is a challenge. And - they haven’t yet learned to read in any language, so understanding is super important! #ELLCHAT
A 1 Hi #ELLchat my name is Natalia Heckman. I have taught high school English to ELLs and native speakers for 10 years. Now, I am an ELA and Social Studies coach in New Caney ISD .
A2. One challenge that #ells face when learning to read English is that they may lack access to relatable and authentic reading materials, not only in the home, but also in the school. What can we do to impact authentic change in this area?#ellchat
A2 challenges ELs face when learning to read in English may include:
1. Directionality
2. Different alphabet
3. Lack of inclusive books
4. Lack of support during independent reading #ELLCHAT
Q2. Literacy in L1 is a huge factor. Are sounds similar? Letter/characters? Does the student have basic (or advanced) literacy in his or her native language? #ELLCHAT
A2 I guess a few big road blocks tobreadingbin English are differences in sentence structure, figurative language, and low reading skills in their native language #ELLCHAT
A2. I think vocabulary is a challenge when ELLs are learning to read. I also think for secondary ELLs the books that are “on level” for them as they are learning to read, are written w/ much younger children in mind. This makes older ELLs feel embarrassed & unmotivated. #ellchat
A2) A number of refugee students and others are not used to a print-rich environment. Vocabulary and background knowledge are challenges for reading as well. #Ellchat
A2. Also, teachers may not be fully equipped to evaluate #ells and create strategic growth plans. This is complicated by the fact that students may be academically engaged in any given combination of reading/speaking/listening levels. #ellchat
A2) The whole idea of talking about text is sometimes a challenge. My students still haven't gotten used to asking clarifying questions, or they get stuck on one word and can't move on...#ELLCHAT
Meaning... disparities within the domains can occur at any age and at any point in the language acquisition period. Ex, a learner might present as an Early speaker, but an Intermediate reader. This may cause us to misevaluate actual literacy levels. #ellchat
A2 ) Many reading strategies are based on reading context clues . While native speakers can figure out a word or a phrase from the context, ELLs, especially newcomers, oftentimes cannot rely on the context clues if they only understand 2-3 words from each sentence. #ELLchat
A2 SO many 3rd grade and 4th grade teachers have told me stories of ELLs who get to them, can read a sentence out loud perfectly, but have no idea what they read. Too much time on rules, not enough on meanings! #ELLCHAT
A3) Some schools I work with have ELL trained reading specialists and/or ELL teachers with training in foundations of reading. Most ELL teachers do not get much training in foundational reading skills! #ellchat
Q3) The EL teacher, of course, who has learned through years of trial and error. I learned most of my emergent reading skills through webinars and books. #ELLCHAT
A3 every educator that serves ELs holds some responsibility for teaching them to read. ELs need support, modeling, practice with reading in all subjects areas. #ELLCHAT
A2 True, Judie - even idioms we don’t even notice any more. Just like we changed about family conferences and noted you can’t just send home a note “time for parent-teacher conference” as if everyone knows what that is! #ELLCHAT
A3) Although classroom teachers were responsible for teaching reading to ELLs in my district, I found tchrs did differentiate for ELLs. I supported reading in ESL. Gen Ed teachers had no training in this. #ELLCHAT
A3 ELD teachers are responsible for teaching ELs to read in our high school, but we get very little, if any, specific training on teaching reading. I rely heavily on what I learned in my undergrad program #Ellchat
A3) At the school I work at, reading is done by teachers that have a degree in reading or at least a reading endorsement. Now, I am one of those that think that ALL teachers are language AND reading teachers, whether they like it or not. #Ellchat
A3. Students who arrive in Grades 3-5 have Language Arts taught in a co-teaching situation by a classroom teacher and ESL teacher. Both are responsible for teaching reading and ideally both work together for the benefit of all students. #ellchat
A3) I agree that this is what we all want to work towards but I don't think it happens in many schools. Gen ed teachers have no training to teach ELLs to read. #ELLCHAT
A3 every educator that serves ELs holds some responsibility for teaching them to read. ELs need support, modeling, practice with reading in all subjects areas. #ELLCHAT
A3: Who is responsible for teaching older ELLs reading is a critical question. It's a bit like the Family Circus "Not me" character! https://t.co/FM3VDuKqM8#ELLChat
A3 i’m seeing a trend here. I always wonder - if we need teachers to collaborate and/or use skills across disciplines, but colleges don’t model that! Right? Did your college ESL dept partner with the reading or elementary ed departments? #ELLCHAT
A3 every educator that serves ELs holds some responsibility for teaching them to read. ELs need support, modeling, practice with reading in all subjects areas. #ELLCHAT
A3 - that’s funny, Shaeley! I remember that character and I agree it is a perfect analogy - lots of finger pointing, but no one wants to take …. or share…. the responsibility! #ELLCHAT
A3: Who is responsible for teaching older ELLs reading is a critical question. It's a bit like the Family Circus "Not me" character! https://t.co/FM3VDuKqM8#ELLChat
A3) it seems the job mostly falls to the EL teacher and the classroom teacher. The EL teacher focuses on letters and sight words and the classroom teacher focuses on books at the Ss level.
A3.This varies across buildings I work with. Typically, the #newcomer teacher or #esl specialist are responsible for teaching ELLs to read. As a newcomer teacher, this was solely my responsibility- though it seems many schools are shifting to shared responsibility models.#ellchat
Although classroom teachers were responsible for teaching reading to ELLs in my district, I found tchrs didn't differentiate for ELLs. I supported reading in ESL. Gen Ed teachers had no training in this. #ELLCHAT
With this said, we have each other. I think that when we collaborate we are able to support our students better. I love when teachers come to me with questions. I also appreciate teachers that attend PD to inform themselves on how to work with ELLs. That's how we grow #ellchat
A3: It goes back to who has integrated training across both ESL & reading instruction. Teaching reading to ELLs is not the same as teaching it to native English speakers. #ELLChat
A3 ELs spend the majority of their day with general education teachers. If we feel they aren’t trained to serve ELs, we probably need to work on that problem. There are too few EL teachers. #ELLCHAT
It's always a balancing act, isn't it? Often. the texts that ARE available at their reading levels are not relevant and/or engaging. I'm with you- if you've captured their excitement, bring them in with lots of structured support! :) #ellchat
A3 i know New York state Dept of Ed actually states :All teachers are teachers of ELLs. Many of you are saying that. Do other states actually put that in writing? #ELLCHAT
💯👇🏾Differentiation should be provided for all of our students and YES agree 100% if they aren't trained to serve ELs, we need to fix this STAT! #ellchat
A3 ELs spend the majority of their day with general education teachers. If we feel they aren’t trained to serve ELs, we probably need to work on that problem. There are too few EL teachers. #ELLCHAT
This is so true. We've got to do a better job of looping all teachers in and really encouraging a whole-school approach to literacy success for ALL learners. #ellchat
Although classroom teachers were responsible for teaching reading to ELLs in my district, I found tchrs didn't differentiate for ELLs. I supported reading in ESL. Gen Ed teachers had no training in this. #ELLCHAT
Hey #ELLCHAT - you are getting off track!! Don’t forget to include the Answer number to go with the Question number you are answering - this is critical for people to follow the threads of this discussion, especially when they come in later!!
This is so true. We've got to do a better job of looping all teachers in and really encouraging a whole-school approach to literacy success for ALL learners. #ellchat
A3 Every teacher is responsible for incorporating language and literacy objectives in every lesson for the sake of our growing EL population. It makes a difference #ELLCHAT
A3 Every teacher is responsible for incorporating language and literacy objectives in every lesson for the sake of our growing EL population. It makes a difference #ELLCHAT
A4) Strengthen that first language!I had a student at K level when I taught second grade bilingual. It was all hands on deck to get the student the support in their native https://t.co/EVgOoGpllH the end of the year student was at grade level!Student is doing great now! #ellchat
A3 Every teacher is responsible for incorporating language and literacy objectives in every lesson for the sake of our growing EL population. It makes a difference #ELLCHAT
A3 Every teacher is responsible for incorporating language and literacy objectives in every lesson for the sake of our growing EL population. It makes a difference #ELLCHAT
A3 Every teacher is responsible for incorporating language and literacy objectives in every lesson for the sake of our growing EL population. It makes a difference #ELLCHAT
I agree. But what do you do, though, when there is no dominant L2? In my school in VT we have more than 30 languages... and only two of those kiddos speak Spanish. #ELLCHAT
A4) Language Experience Approach is my go to for older learners that are pre-literate. Here is more on it from Center for Adult English Language Acquisition
https://t.co/QsFEia3EIq#Ellchat
A4. Read alouds! Sometimes we even just discuss pictures in books. Providing language and positive experiences with books go a long way. Also, teach with dignity. Older students should not be taught using materials for much younger children. #ELLChat
A4 when ELs don’t read in 1st Lang, I connect to their oral language, build on it, & develop many comprehension skills through listening. Read alouds, shared readings will keep the cognitive demand high. If developing literacy in L1 is an option, go for it! #ellchat
A3) All teachers are responsible for 1) incorporating reading in their lessons and 2) making input comprehensible. If we can accomplish these two challenges, then differentiation for ELLs may not seem as doing something extra. #ellchat
A3) I spent my whole teaching career working with gen ed teachers who have ELLs in their classroom. I have written numerous books on the topic. Training doesn't work if no one is going into the classroom to see that differentiation is taking place. It's so frustrating. #ellchat
💯👇🏾Differentiation should be provided for all of our students and YES agree 100% if they aren't trained to serve ELs, we need to fix this STAT! #ellchat
A3 ELs spend the majority of their day with general education teachers. If we feel they aren’t trained to serve ELs, we probably need to work on that problem. There are too few EL teachers. #ELLCHAT
A3) All teachers are responsible for 1) incorporating reading in their lessons and 2) making input comprehensible. If we can accomplish these two challenges, then differentiation for ELLs may not seem as doing something extra. #ellchat
A4: 1st document what they can do.1word in heritage language is better than none. Assess assess assess every word they know.Write down in their portfolio.They write it. Build off of THAT,what letters &sounds do they recognize&grow from there w para, parent,reading buddy. #ELLChat
This is a great point! Depending on your students' language assets strengthening our students L1 may be very difficult. What do districts that have similar amounts in diverse languages do? #ellchat
I agree. But what do you do, though, when there is no dominant L2? In my school in VT we have more than 30 languages... and only two of those kiddos speak Spanish. #ELLCHAT
A4) I worked in a district with many different languages - and none of them Spanish. I think we need to encourage parents to use native language at home. We need to have bilingual materials at school for as many languages as possible. #ELLCHAT
I agree. But what do you do, though, when there is no dominant L2? In my school in VT we have more than 30 languages... and only two of those kiddos speak Spanish. #ELLCHAT
A4) I think what's also important is to provide relevant teaching opportunities. They will learn what they need to know. Like Just-In-Time PD. Teachers also won't incorporate knowledge unless they see the relevance and need in the moment. #ELLCHAT
A3 Every teacher is responsible for incorporating language and literacy objectives in every lesson for the sake of our growing EL population. It makes a difference #ELLCHAT
A2) Yes, I have seen counts for as many as 46 sounds and up. It’s crazy, but I have found with my beginners that practice helps. We do a little each day. #ELLchat
A4) I worked in a district with many different languages - and none of them Spanish. I think we need to encourage parents to use native language at home. We need to have bilingual materials at school for as many languages as possible. #ELLCHAT
I agree. But what do you do, though, when there is no dominant L2? In my school in VT we have more than 30 languages... and only two of those kiddos speak Spanish. #ELLCHAT
Unless we rely heavily on translation, which is not usually the case, literacy in the first language should not be a prerequisite for teaching ELLs to read in English. #ellchat
A4 Train admin and instructional coaches alongside teachers and EL specialists. On going, job embedded pd. Everyone should know and understand the expectations #ellchat
A4 In addition to sheltering techniques, I find that it helps to break up periods of reading (and work to build up stamina) with interactive literacy activities (Ex: Descriptive Pairs, word relays, write-the-rooms, personal dictionaries, word exchanges) #ellchat
A5) I use epic and United for literacy online so Ss can hear stories in topics they're interested in English or native language. I also try and find a variety to texts on what the Ss are interested to read #ellchat
A4 Train admin and instructional coaches alongside teachers and EL specialists. On going, job embedded pd. Everyone should know and understand the expectations #ellchat
A3) Our system is having a PL Summit on Wednesday afternoon. Two of our EL teachers are presenting, and I am sure they will share some great ideas!! #ELLchat
A3 ELs spend the majority of their day with general education teachers. If we feel they aren’t trained to serve ELs, we probably need to work on that problem. There are too few EL teachers. #ELLCHAT
A4 Train admin and instructional coaches alongside teachers and EL specialists. On going, job embedded pd. Everyone should know and understand the expectations #ellchat
Q5) I first find out what interests students and from there look for reading materials. I use newsela and readworks. Our district also offers access to Raz-kids where students have access to books they may be interested in. #ELLCHAT
A5: well, after conferencing I found out my HS babies I work w r all roofers working AND using school as their safety space 2stay&work. At their request, I find all text in roofing, carpentry, how 2start ur own biz & I create lessons 4 each Ss’ “WHY” of learning Eng. #ELLChat
@tofubeth I've really enjoyed having parents author books in the heritage language and students illustrate them. We *publish them and keep them in our classroom/school library. It's a great activity for "Back to School" night and really draws in our #newcomer families. #ellchat
Wow. What a dilemma. I guess, spend your efforts supporting one common language, which will be English. It's unorthodox, but supporting an L1 might be impossible in your case. #ELLCHAT
A4) This touches on a problem with PD that I found throughout the U.S. Administrators rarely come to PD!!! There is no follow-up for PD sessions in schools. That's why providing PD in your own district is key. You can then follow up, invite admins to your sessions. #ellchat
A4 Train admin and instructional coaches alongside teachers and EL specialists. On going, job embedded pd. Everyone should know and understand the expectations #ellchat
I LOVE LOVE that idea... but when I tried to get parents to retell stories in the L1 so I could get help to translate, they all didn't think their stories were good enough. I need to try again. #ELLCHAT
Q5 ) Edge textbooks, Read 180 library with flex books that my students liked. Of course, NewsELA for nonfiction. I ordered Julius Caesar and Romeo and Juliet (our kids deserve classics ) from Saddleback publishing in a comics format. #ellchat
A4) This touches on a problem with PD that I found throughout the U.S. Administrators rarely come to PD!!! There is no follow-up for PD sessions in schools. That's why providing PD in your own district is key. You can then follow up, invite admins to your sessions. #ellchat
A4 Train admin and instructional coaches alongside teachers and EL specialists. On going, job embedded pd. Everyone should know and understand the expectations #ellchat
A5)I also expose my SLIFEs to children’s stories that native Ss know, such as The 3 Little Pigs (cultural assumptions are big in USA). In all these years none of my Ss have said that is too childish. It all goes back to the enthusiasm of the T when presenting the stories.#ellchat
A5) Honestly, I've never really succeeded at find engaging texts for older emergent/early/ ELL readers. We've done pretty well (curriculum-wise) for early grade ELs. Then... the ball drops. We have some work to do here. #ELLCHAT
A5: u may think this limits opp 4 Ss...I say at contraire! Show them u care about their present & they will tell u what they want 4 their future. I have 20 year olds in High School with two kids to support. The fact they trust me 2 tell me is how I know 👇🏽 is working. #ELLChat
A5: well, after conferencing I found out my HS babies I work w r all roofers working AND using school as their safety space 2stay&work. At their request, I find all text in roofing, carpentry, how 2start ur own biz & I create lessons 4 each Ss’ “WHY” of learning Eng. #ELLChat
We run into this issue in my district as well. We just had a multicultural fair where parents could come and showcase their culture and we had parents saying it wasn't anything special. We have to start with changing that perception. #ellchat
In reply to
@tofubeth, @ElYaafouriELD, @judiehaynes
We started with students reading one story a day of Ss on the website @ilearnamerica . No I can’t get these kids to get off the website because all they do is click on the faces of the kids and just want to read their stories and then tell their own! A great start. #ELLChat
A5) Honestly, I've never really succeeded at find engaging texts for older emergent/early/ ELL readers. We've done pretty well (curriculum-wise) for early grade ELs. Then... the ball drops. We have some work to do here. #ELLCHAT
A6) As a result of having a large Spanish speaking population at my district we are able to support the dev. of it via cross-linguistic connections. We teach students similarities and diff. in the Spanish and English language. We use mentor texts to model #ellchat
I’m a student at Dakota State University in Madison, SD and during some of my observations, I’ve seen teachers use ReadWorks for texts. I loved all the features and uses, that I have saved the link and have used it in a few lesson plans! #ELLCHAT
A5) I’m a student at Dakota State University in Madison, SD and during some of my observations, I’ve seen teachers use ReadWorks for texts. I loved all the features and uses, that I have saved the link and have used it in a few lesson plans! #ELLCHAT
6) it’s a small group time! pull kids who struggle with decoding (3-4 kids at a time )and do a quick phonics lesson over one skill. Read aloud to them and point to the words. Listen to them read. Frequency and repetition is the game changer.
#ellchat
