Empowering General Ed Teachers: Practical Tips to Support ELLs with Risa Woods

Empowering Gen Ed Teachers of ELLs with Risa Woods
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Are you an ESL teacher feeling overwhelmed by the struggle to get your ELLs the support they need in their general education classrooms?

Or perhaps you’re a homeroom teacher who feels unprepared and unsure how to effectively teach your multilingual learners.

If you’re desperate for practical strategies and guidance to bridge this gap, this episode is for you.

In episode 142 of the Equipping ELLs podcast, host Beth Vaucher welcomes the insightful Risa Woods, an expert in supporting multilingual learners, to share practical strategies for homeroom teachers. Risa, who grew up in a multicultural, multilingual household, brings a unique perspective on the challenges English language learners face in general education classrooms. Together, Beth and Risa explore how to set up a classroom for success, starting before the school year begins and continuing through the first month. They dive into the importance of creating a linguistically rich environment where representation matters, and where every student’s language and culture are valued.

Risa discusses translanguaging, encouraging teachers to allow students to use all their languages to express themselves fully. The episode also emphasizes the power of visuals, gestures, and word choice in making content more concrete, direct, and accessible to ELLs. Beth and Risa discuss the critical role of connecting with caregivers to understand each student’s cultural and educational background, ensuring a supportive and inclusive classroom environment.
This episode is a must-listen for any teacher looking to make their classroom a welcoming space for all learners! Click the player above, and then share the episode with your teaching team!
Resources:
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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.

Beth

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Find a variety of best selling resources created specifically with the diverse needs of ELLs in mind.