ENGAGING ELL

STRATEGIES AND
SUPPORTS FOR THE
LANGUAGE ARTS
Jill Zapata
Assistant Principal for Bilingual and ELL Services
Objectives:

Participants will become familiar with strategies and supports for working
with EL learners and the language arts in their classroom and will be able
to identify at least 3 resources for EL strategies and supports for language
arts.
Participants will be able to incorporate 3-4 EL learner language arts
strategies in their classrooms in all content areas to support their EL
students.
JUST LIKE ME
 Teacher Dos and Donts
Do model for students what they are Don't just tell students what to do and
expected to do or produce, especially for expect them to do it.
new skills or activities.
Do speak slowly and clearly, and provide Don't speak too fast, or talk louder.
students with enough time to formulate Don't stand in front of the class and
their responses, whether in speaking or in lecture, or rely on a textbook as your
writing. Remember, they are thinking and only "visual aid.
producing in two or more languages!
Do use visuals, sketches, gestures,
intonation, and other non-verbal cues to
make both language and content more
accessible to students.
 Teacher Dos and Donts
Do give verbal and written instructions.
Do regularly check that students are
understanding the lesson.
Do encourage students to continue
building their literacy skills in their
home language, also known as "L1.
Do allow students to be an expert in
their language and culture.
Don't act surprised if students are lost
when you haven't clearly written and
explained step-by-step directions.
Don't simply ask, "Are there any
questions?"
Don't "ban" students from using their
native language in the classroom.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/esl-ell-tips-ferlazzo-
sypnieski
Engaging Strategies
Choice Boards
5-3-1
Word Walls with Visuals
Snowball fight
Personal Journals
Learning line
Beach Ball Summary
Scategories
Stop Light Method
Anticipation reaction guide
Cubing
Mind Streaming
Just Like Me
Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up
Songs
Charades
Chants
Role-Play
THINK PAIR SHARE
 Shared Reading & Listening Strategies
Write key words on the board
Avoid writing in cursive
Provide a pre-listening activity that explains the purpose for the listening activity, draws on
students background knowledge of the topic, and introduces key words and phrases they will
hear
Provide an active listening role such as holding up a card or raising your hand
Give background information
Do a story walk-through
Focus on illustrations
Invite children to chime in
Act out scenes
Watch a video
Encourage reading along during a read-aloud
Preview and summarize or paraphrase with Turn and Talks
Speaking Strategies
Total Physical Response (TPR)
Develop a buddy system
Use puppets
Make use of chants, poems, and songs
Echo read
Choral Read
Provide wordless picture books
Fluency Phones
Sentence Starters
Word Banks
 Writing Strategies
Draw first to get ideas on paper
Write in native language first
Practice shared writing with students
Sentence starters and endings
Cloze paragraphs
Use patterned writing books
Dialogue journals
Word Banks
Green, Yellow, Red
Create a Positive Culture for ELs
Send home any parent
communication in the home
language

When utilizing the support of a translator,

always speak to the parent, not the
translator, even when making a phone call

Allow translanguaging
=
When English and LOTE connect

Explore and understand the phenomenon of translanguaging as

a natural part of students' bilingual development and how this
can influence curricular and cultural dynamics in the classroom.
Websites and Resources
http://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/
http://www.raz-kids.com/
www.voki.com
http://teacher.scholastic.com/clifford1/index.htm
http://pbskids.org/games/reading.html
www.starfall.com
http://www.prezi.com
http://www.sedl.org/scimath/pasopartners
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
http://www.literacycenter.net
http://en.childrenslibrary.org
http://www.ipadinschools.com/ipad-apps-for-elementary-school
Sources Cited

Teaching English Language Learners: Strategies that Work by Katharine Davies

Samway & Dorothy Taylor

Differentiated Early Literacy for English Language Learners Practical Strategies by

Paul Boyd-Batstone
 Contact Information
Mrs. Jill Zapata
jzapata@y115.org
Work Cell 630-423-2565