Tips for Setting Up Successful Push-In ESL Support and Co-Teaching

Push-in ESL support and co-teaching can be powerful for both students and teachers alike. I've found that when general education teachers are open to "sharing" their class and planning together, the results can be truly awesome for all involved. ESL students benefit greatly from this kind of collaborative environment, as do non ESL students. However, it's not always easy to navigate. I've worked with teachers who've had a hard time with this experience. They saw my role more as an "instructional assistant,' which I was not, and in turn the impact of two teachers in the room had minimal benefit. Here are a few tips for establishing a positive co-teaching experience. 

Tips to Make ESL Lesson Planning Less Stressful

Let's be real, planning weekly lessons in the ESL classroom can be an overwhelming task. Factors include caseloads and the sheer number of students/small groups serviced. Also, heterogenous groupings with a variety of language levels make it difficult to target specific language needs of students. Perhaps you're a new teacher and simply haven't had the guidance yet on planning ESL lessons. Here are a few tips to help make planning less stressful. 

Language Forms and Functions in an ESL Classroom

If Language Functions were a car, then Language Forms would be the tires, gas, engine, steering wheel and all the other parts that make that car drive. Teaching language functions has been the driving force (no pun intended, LOL) behind my English Language Development (ELD) instruction for several years and I love it! Students in every grade level, K-12 and beyond, use language functions across all content areas, so IMO, teaching Forms and Functions is an excellent way to build academic language and provide a pathway to language proficiency for English learners. 

My previous post was all about teaching Language Functions. Well, Form and Function go hand in hand, so let's dive into how Language Forms plays a role in ELD instruction.

Teaching Language Functions with English Learners

What are language functions? LFs are the "reasons" we use language; it's our purpose, or goal, when we express ourselves. Perhaps we want to express our needs or wants, explain a process, describe an experience, or persuade someone to do something. Whatever the purpose, we use language to perform these functions. 

Top 5 Things our ELs Need From Us

Hello Friends!

As we get ready for our students this fall, I want to shine a light on the top 5 things our ELs need from us this fall. It was a challenge coming up with a TOP 5, but these, IMO, are it.

Digital Word Study for the ESL Classroom

Incorporating Word Study into my ESL lesson plans is a "must-do" for me. This digital weekly WS program builds skills in phonics, spelling patterns, vocabulary, grammar and writing with beginning and intermediate English learners. It's also instrumental in building skills in all four language domains. Let's dig in!

Including Newcomers in Classroom Lessons and Activities

Are your newcomers included in daily lessons and activities? All lessons and activities? Or, are your newcomers working by themselves while the class is engaged in a lesson or activity?  Newcomers can and should be included in all lessons and activities, not sat at a computer or isolated from the class doing a different activity. Here are some tips for including newcomers in classroom lessons and activities.