English Language Learners Support
Translated Documents
If there is a language you need that is not translated here, let Jessica Brown-Mysliwiec and Kristin Bannon know.
Translate your Google Chrome page
- Right click
- Select "Translate to English"
- Click the three vertical dots
- Select "Choose another language"
- Select your language
The Benefits of a Bilingual Brain
Mia Nacamulli goes through the importance of having a bilingual brain, while touching on the different types of bilingualism. Bilingualism used to be seen as a disability to students in years passed, but research shows that being bilingual can make your brain be healthier, remain engaged, and complex. It's important for teachers to realize that allowing students to keep their first language while learning a new language can help them out in the long run of life.
District & Classroom Teacher Resources
Translanguaging
Translanguaging is a great tool to use for Emergent bilinguals (EBs) in a content area classroom. Translanguaging is when mutlilingual speakers such as EBs utilize their native languages and target language in an integrated communication system, it other words, they are using their whole language repertoire to communicate. This is a great way for students who are still learning English to use their native language(s) to draw upon conclusions in their content classrooms without having to fall behind because of where their English level is. This allows content to be accessible to the students, and takes the pressure off of learning the content and language skills.
Total Physical Response (TPR)
Total Physical Response (TPR) is a teaching method that connects physical movements to learning language. The teacher will give a command to the students in the target language (English) and the students respond with whole-body actions. This teaching strategy makes the content accessible to EBs because it allows them to make connections in the language. Whether a teacher is teaching English grammar or science, the teacher can incorporate the use of movements and actions to assist students in learning the vocabulary.
3 Ways to Speak English
Jamila Lyiscott is a "tri-tongued orator". In her TED Talk, she celebrates and challenges the ideas of her three distinct ways that she speaks English. She unpacks what is means to speak these three ways and where her identities is in each one. She uses the word "articulate" to demonstrate the power behind her language. This video is empowering for English learners because it dives deep into personal identity and how critical languages can be in a persons life.
Teaching English Without Teaching English
Roberto Guzman taught English as a Foreign Language in Puerto Rico. In this TED Talk, he talks about his journey teaching English and how he decided to break away from teaching English based on strict grammar and changed his way of thinking about how to teach English using authentic examples and materials. Through this video, other English Second Language (ESL) teachers can use his examples and explanations in their own classroom to help emerging bilinguals (EBs) become critical thinkers in English.
ELL Teacher Resources
Resources for Families
WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment) Resources
