April 2011 - Newsletter

Peoples Top Picks is a new initiative that delivers insights on how educators across the country are addressing current hot topics in education.

This month's Top Pick: English-language learners

Catering to the needs of English-language learners presents unique challenges to teachers. The term international school is no longer reserved to describe institutions affiliated with the UN. The diversity of school population in our public schools has made, and will continue to make, these schools international, right?

Our experts pair their ELLs by level of ability, as opposed to by grade or age. How do you pair your ELLs in ESL intervention settings?

Join the conversation on Facebook to share your opinion and receive exclusive coupons!

Check out the Top 5 strategies to reach ELLs with multiple learning styles here. 

Creative Cross-Curricular Projects that Cater to the Needs of ELLs:

Ever heard of a Cutthroat Cognate Wall? Learn how an activity was born out of a rivalry between two brothers (and English-language learners) who challenged each other in Scott Gaudet’s Grossmont UHSD, California classroom. Read the full story here.

“Most of my ELLs are not in a lab science class, so when our text had a nonfiction text on genetics, I spoke with a biology teacher. She was teaching genetics that week and she set me up with the supplies. We completed the strawberry DNA lab in English language development class. We used the lab biology directions and vocabulary. I adapted the questions to fit our knowledge of genetics.”                

-Mary Norton Lawson, English Language Development Teacher, Sonoma Valley High School, CA

“In preparation for Earth Day activities we are researching green energy. We have done science experiments using forms of energy systems. We then connected careers in science that would complement the work.”

-D. Holland, 75th St. Elementary School, LAUSD - LD7, CA

And from the winner of our ELL Professional Development Package:

“The Umbrella by Jan Brett takes us to the rainforests of South America and we are introduced to exotic animals, some of which are endangered. 1. We studied maps of Central and South America and students identified native countries on maps. Students learned/reinforced a few Spanish words. 2. We learned about 'new exotic animals' and the layers of the rainforest. 3. We designed a poster on endangered animals and extinct animals 4. We wrote poems on the rainforest or non fiction writing on the morpho butterfly, quetzal bird, and other creatures of the rainforest. 5. We read about a 'cloud forest' and used the background to learn about weather and illustrate the water cycle. Students benefited in many content areas in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and viewing.”                -Faith Nadya Mootoo, Whittier Elementary School & Teaneck High School, Teaneck School District, NJ

For more photo stories about Teaneck’s creative ELL projects, visit our Facebook page throughout the month of April.

Words of Wisdom

New to teaching ESL? Here’s some advice from the field on how to handle different dialects in the same classroom:

“I have them share their different vocabulary so the whole class can hear both ways of saying one thing.”

-Amanda, 1st grade teacher, NJ

“I ask children to give us an example of how an idiom would be phrased in their language/culture.”

-D. Holland 75th St. Elementary School LAUSD - LD7, CA

“We are focusing on English and the priority is to develop literacy skills in English while covering content area material. Those 'minor' differences are usually not a problem in the younger grades. As students become older and more advanced in the target language, this can be addressed directly. If it becomes a problem among the students in the lower levels, we can explain the differences in vernaculars in the English language and show that none is superior to the other. We can also focus on the similarities that connect us and the language.”                          

--Faith Nadya Mootoo, Whittier Elementary School & Teaneck High School, Teaneck School District, NJ

“Find the commonalities between the languages . . . good lesson to learn for language learning, and for life also!”

-Scott Gaudet, English Learner Curriculum Specialist, Grossmont Union High School District, CA


At Peoples Education, we continually seek input from educators at all levels to improve our partnership with schools and districts. Your opinion counts! Each month we will reach out to the education community for feedback on a specific topic. We will post what we learn in this newsletter and on our informative Facebook page. 

Join the conversation on Facebook and be heard!

See you next month!

Sincerely,

Peoples Education


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Did you know? 

All Peoples Education Focused Instruction programs provide teacher support for Including Every Learner, especially ELLs.


Word Explorer®: Developing a Rich Vocabulary

Boost ELLs' academic vocabulary with systematic, research-based instruction.


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