Click below to hear how to lesson plan using language forms and functions:
Have you ever thought about trying out a different lesson planning process? Planning units and lessons based on language forms and functions may be a method that could really benefit your ELLs! Today, I have special guest, Kristen Vibas, joining us to talk about how she plans her lessons around different language functions and forms.
In this episode, Kristen is giving us an inside look at what her role and lesson planning process looks like. She is sharing what her role in a very large district looks like, what she focuses on the first month of school,how she communicates with parents, and how she plans her instruction utilizing language forms and functions.
Kristen Vibas is a K-6 elementary ESOL teacher living in Northern Virginia. She’s been teaching multilingual learners since 2005 in one of the country’s largest school districts. She enjoys each grade level, but is particularly fond of working with upper elementary newcomers. Kristen also loves creating educational resources that support English language development. She opened her TpT store, called “Kristen Vibas,” in 2012, and shortly afterwards started a blog called “A Walk in the Chalk.”
There is so much to do during the school year and lesson planning can take a lot of time! How much less stressful would your year be if you had instant access to the exact resources you need to teach your ELLs? Check out the Equipping ELLs membership for low-prep, high-engagement lessons and materials all done for you!
Topics discussed in this episode:
- What Kristen Vibas’ role as a K-6 ESOL teacher in a very large district where nearly half of the students receive ESL services looks like
- How Kristen builds relationships and community with her students in the first month of school
- How to communicate with parents at the beginning of the year
- What language function and language form is
- A walk-through of how Kristen plans her lessons and units based on language function while weaving in language form
- The many benefits of planning lessons around language function and form
Resources:
- Teaching Language Functions in the ESL Classroom
- TalkingPoints
- BrainPop
- Epic Books
- Reading A-Z
- Readworks.org
- Download the ESL Teacher Toolkit
- Join the Equipping ELLs Membership
- Check out the ELL Strategy Academy
- Shop TpT resources that help with supporting your ELLs
Related episodes and blog posts:
- 10 Tips for teachers that are new to teaching ELLs!
- How to create clear, meaningful, and impactful lessons during a 30 minute session.
- Do you incorporate these 6 essentials into your lessons?
- How to easily differentiate your lesson plans to support ELLs.
Connect with Beth:
- Join the Facebook group: Inspiring Young Learners Engage!
- Follow her on Instagram @inspiringyounglearners.
More about Equipping ELLs:
We all know that teaching isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to be this hard. Equipping ELLs is a podcast for both ESL specialists and homeroom teachers who are looking for effective and engaging ways to support their English Language Learners without adding to their endless to-do list. Tune in each week to hear tips, strategies, and inspirational stories that will empower you to better reach your ELL students, equip them with life-long skills, and strengthen relationships with colleagues and parents.
Your host, Beth Vaucher, is the founder of Inspiring Young Learners. She is an ESL certified homeroom teacher with over 10 years of experience teaching in the US and internationally. Her background of M.Ed in ESL and Curriculum and Instruction combined with her experience has led her to develop a bestselling newcomer curriculum that has sold in over 90 countries around the globe. She brings a different perspective to teaching ELLs from her years teaching and living abroad and working with ELLs from around the world. You will walk away from each episode with the ideas and tools you need to transform your experience as a teacher and cultivate a thriving and welcoming environment for your ELL students.
