English Language Learners
For Teachers working online with English Language Learners:
Use this time to slow down and assess students based on the ESL Proficiency Benchmarks in Dossier. Use the benchmarks to guide your teaching focus.
A few teaching strategies to consider:
- Use visuals
- Considering giving instructions in written, audio, and with pictures (if appropriate or possible)
- Chunking assignments into smaller manageable amounts
- Reducing questions/writing expectations
- Vocabulary – provide ahead of time, include a picture, the word, and the meaning (can do in both English and 1st language)
- Using first language is okay if that makes students successful. Slowly increase expectations to focus on English.
Listening:
- Read students a story and have them complete comprehension questions (provide the questions orally and written) – include visuals for more support
- Have students watch a short video (ex. a show on Netflix, a curricular video) – they could answer questions, summarize, show their understanding however they can.
- Have families play board games and track/reflect
Reading:
- Students could read you a book out loud in their first language or in English (asynchronously or synchronously).
Speaking:
- Make a special time to meet online with an ELL learner(s) and have conversation time based on a topic (ex. a book, a T.V show, a particular animal, topic in science). Give them the conversations questions ahead of time
- Have students record their voice – ex. students tell you the date and the weather - daily
- Send students a 2-person conversation script to practice speaking with someone
Writing:
- Focus on form, function, and vocabulary in writing. Use cloze activities, fill in the blank, repetition, copying.
Websites
This site is intended for use by teachers, administrators and consultants working with English language learners. This site allows users to:
- Search the Alberta K-12 ESL Proficiency Benchmarks.
- Access the I Can Statements for English Language Learners.
- Access student writing samples with benchmark analysis.
- View videos of students engaging in content learning with teacher commentary on proficiency levels and benchmark analysis.
- Access information on Organizing for Instruction, Encouraging the Use of Home Languages, Understanding the Acquisition of English as an Additional Language.
- Select Assessment Tools and Strategies for English language learners.
- Access Research and Resources on a variety of topics related to ESL.
This website is designed to provide support for K-12 teachers and District ESL Leads from the moment of intake to programming for ELL students in classrooms on a daily basis. This site features a rich array of forms, guidelines, tools and strategies in order to make careful placement decisions and to maximize ELL students' language development.
Google Translate can translate multiple forms of text and media, which includes text, speech, and text within still or moving images. Specifically, its functions include: Written Words Translation: a function that translates written words or text to a foreign language.
Download the app to use your camera to translate text in images instantly by just pointing your camera (90 languages) or to translate bilingual conversations on the fly (43 languages).
3 Months Free Access for Students to Rosetta Stone
Storybooks Canada is a free open educational resource that promotes literacy and language learning in homes, schools, and communities. Part of the Global Storybooks project, it makes 40 stories from the African Storybook available with text and audio in English, French, and the most widely spoken immigrant and refugee languages of Canada. We are also developing Indigenous Storybooks and the Global Storybooks literacy portal. Share and enjoy!
ScribJab is a multilingual tool to create and share digital stories in 2 different languages--English and French.
English language learners can practise and improve their language skills by watching the videos, listening to the audio and using the online quiz tools. The activities will help users to understand local issues and discuss topics in the news with neighbours, classmates and coworkers. The quiz tools will give learners instant feedback. Every week, new video and audio content will be available at two levels. The videos are taken directly from the news while the audio is a little simpler and read at a slower pace. Stories are from all around Alberta and Canada.
Family and School Supports
Rural offices are currently closed but staff can possibly assist with family supports and volunteer interpreters
Contact: Fleeha Ahmad 403-604-2377 and email fahmad@ccisab.ca
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/rvisab/
The public libraries in Cochrane, Airdrie, and Chestermere (Marigold Library System) have free library cards available. After sign up, you can access the English language program called, Pronunciator Language Program.