Choice Lit Topic: English Language Learners
Whether you have one English language learner in your classroom, or hundreds in your school, there is little doubt meeting the needs of these students will be at the top of most schools' agendas for professional development for many years to come.
Results
The Power of Story
“Miss Masse,” Philippe said, looking at me with tears streaming down his cheeks. “I waked up on the bus and it was cold and nobody was there, and the door,...
The Language Spoken at Home Is Always a Gift
A statement that I make often and loudly is that I welcome questions. One of my goals is for the teachers I work with to feel comfortable asking questions. I...
Understanding the Beautiful World of Being Multilingual Through the Lens of Brilliance and Complexity
I often get questions about teaching multilingual students, and the experience can feel like the person is asking for a checklist. Let me explain. When I lead professional development, whether...
Using Digital Photos to Enhance Learning
Hmm . . . 32,249 photos in my iCloud account? Yes. I’m one of those people. I’m one of those people who are constantly taking photos. Looking back through photos...
Mother Language Day and Tradition Presentations
At the beginning of the year I take time to build community among the students in my classroom. We get to know each other through various activities and games. We...
Teaching Transition Words
The second-grade team was teaching the unit on writing fairy tales for the first time, and emailed us because they noticed they didn’t have a lesson in the unit that...
Building Reading Identities Across the Year
It was November, and a new intervention cycle was beginning. “What kind of reader are you, Giselle?” Kate asked the student who was new to one of her third-grade intervention...
Conferences with Parents of English Language Learners
In the past decade, my school population had shifted dramatically. Transiency, shifting attendance lines, and the passage of time has changed our school population such that we have a significant...
The Right to Be Seen
I would often ask myself: What’s the kind thing to do? What is the right thing to do? —Jacqueline Woodson How can anyone forget the face of a child that...
Retelling and English Language Learners
Have you ever taught a group of first graders how to retell stories? If you have, then you know it is one of those units of study that requires patience...
Refugees: A Children’s Booklist
How could I ever forget her? Her eyes were full of hope. Her smile had shadows behind it, but I didn’t know her journey. She seemed happy at times. Other...
One Child, Many Stories
Have you ever sat down in front of a student’s data and still felt like you don’t have any answers to your questions? Those moments are too familiar to me...
A Year of Learning About Student Refugees
I placed a pair of scissors in front of her after showing her how to match the pictures as I cut them. I waited patiently for her to pick up...
Fostering More Rereading in Classrooms
Do you ever find yourself reading an email quickly to capture the gist of it and then putting it away in a folder, only to find yourself pulling it out...
Getting to Know English Language Learners All Year Long
After a refreshing summer, many teachers come back to school with a notebook full of ideas about how to kick off the school year. Our plans and notebooks include a...
First-Grade Conferring: A Two-Word Picture Book
Bitsy Parks confers with a first-grade English language learner over a very simple picture book.
Rhyming Words and English Language Learners
I don’t understand . . . Luis just can’t rhyme, and we’ve been practicing rhymes for weeks. You would think that he would’ve gotten it by now. Right? What am...
Environment and English Language Learners
A child walks into my class and says in Spanish, “Ms. Villalba, can I just come into your room and put my head down? I’m tired." Meet William, a fifth-grade...
Parent in a Foreign Land
For students who are new to the English language, nothing comes easily: they have to work hard to figure out a new language, new customs, new foods, new friendships, and...
Plans for Writing Circle
Stella Villalba meets in a circle with her first- and second-grade English language learners to share plans for writing workshop.
Books That Mirror the Children in Our Classrooms
A book can show you the world but it can also show you a reflection of yourself. Grace Lin We sat in silence. “Comments? Thoughts?” I asked this group...
