Click below to hear how to scaffold your lessons for newcomers:
Schools across the United States are welcoming a record number of ELL students who are new to the country and new to the English language. When you’re working with newcomers, it’s really important that you take time to get to know them so they feel welcomed and comfortable in the classroom environment. I talk more about this in Episode 3, so if you haven’t listened, be sure to check it out.
It’s also important to gather background information about each newcomer so that you can understand how to best support them and their language needs. There is a big difference in how you approach learning for a newcomer that has a foundation of literacy in their native language and a newcomer who doesn’t.
If you’ve welcomed newcomers to your classroom and you’re wondering what to do next to get them excited and engaged with learning, you are going to love today’s episode. I’m laying out step-by-step what to do once you’ve welcomed your newcomers and you are ready to scaffold your lessons to meet their needs.
I’ll be sharing specific things to think about when planning your lessons that are both practical and easy to implement, even if you’ve never had a newcomer in your classroom before. Trying just one of these ideas for the next 2-3 weeks can have a big impact on the learning experience for your newcomers. I’d love to know which one you’re going to try first!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your newcomers or intermediate ELLs, we are here to help! Come join us inside the Equipping ELLs Membership, where we provide monthly lesson plans for both newcomers and intermediates, plus all the resources that go with those plans. We have coaching calls, and we have the best community of amazing and passionate educators of ELLs!
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Why even experienced ELL teachers may need to shift their approach with recent newcomers and simple tips you can use to scaffold for them
- Scaffolds that work well for homeroom teachers so newcomers feel involved, safe, and excited about learning
- Where to spend your time when it comes to working with newcomers, whether you’re a homeroom teacher or an ESL teacher
- Why collaboration between homeroom teachers and ESL teachers is so powerful for students
- How to encourage and empower newcomers so they can build their confidence when it comes to language learning
- 5 easy but effective ways to scaffold your whole group lessons so students unlock content at their language level, keeping them engaged and excited while building their knowledge base
Related resources:
- Grab the FREE WIDA Can-Do Descriptors Simplified!
- Grab the ESL Newcomers Bundle
- 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:
- Episode 3, How to Set Up Your Classroom to Welcome Newcomers
- Episode 7, From Newcomer to MLB Scout
- 5 Ways to Use Pictures to Scaffold Content
- 10 Tips For Teachers That are New to Teaching 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.
One Comment
Beth,
Thank you so much for all your support. I am a new EAL teacher at an international School in Kyoto Japan and your units have save my life. My students are thriving and learning the language with fun activities.
My next step is to start collaborating with the classroom teachers to develop more tools to support the students.
Than you for this podcast it was very informative and helpful.
Kindly,
Emily DeLue