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10 Things Mainstream Teachers can do TODAY to help ESL students succeed in the classroom.

By: Colorin Colorado

1. Enunciate clearly and slowly, but do not raise your voice. Add gestures, pictures, point directly to objects, draw pictures when appropriate.

2. Write clearly, legibly, and in print-many ESL's cannot read cursive.

3. Develop and maintain routines. Use clear, consistant signals for classroom instructions.

4. Repeat information and review frequently. If a student does not understand, rephrase or paraphrase in shorter sentences and simpler syntax. Don't simply ask, "Do you understand?" but have the student demonstrate their learning in order to show understanding.

5. Avoid idioms and slang words

6. Present new information in the context of known information.

7. Announce the lesson's objectives (EQ) and list instructions step by step.

8. Present information in a variety of ways.

9. Provide frequent summations of the salient points of a lesson, and always emphasize key vocabulary words.

10. Recognize student success frequently.