Embedded Files
Average Timeline for Learning a New Language
Social Language 1-3 years
Academic Language 5-7 years
Native-Like Fluency 7-10 years
OVERVIEW:
Providing leadership to English language learners is a novel challenge for school districts in some unlikely places. Committed, knowledgeable school leaders in rural and suburban districts across the country are moving to keep pace with their rapidly growing ELL populations in a quickly changing learning environment. It is also a challenge in larger school districts now.
We have provided helpful information here to get you started in your quest for a successful rural and suburban ENL program for your ELL students. Included here are some presentations relating to second language development. There are also articles/videos developed specifically for school leaders of ELLs. Please consider your ENL teachers as your language development experts who can provide guidance to your staff regarding ELLs in the general classroom and online.
ELL Content Resources (padlet)
ENL Strategies for Content Area Teachers (padlet)
SO WHAT DOES AN ENL TEACHER DO?
Yes, surprisingly this question is still asked by many every school year !!
-Many think that ENL is a support service, but ENL is not an intervention. It is an integral part of high quality Tier 1 Instruction.
-ENL is a stand-alone language development program.
The ENL teacher has three main roles in our schools:
1. English Language Development (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking)
Small group instruction/cooperative learning
Use of bilingual picture dictionaries/glossaries and many other visuals: maps, graphs
Scaffolding: sentence stems & starters, graphic organizers Differentiation
Linguistics Academic Language Vocabulary Strategies
Word Walls with graphics & Anchor Charts
Language objectives are posted for students to see
Integrating Literacy with Content
Culturally Responsive Teaching methods Multicultural Books
Gradual Release Method and Extra time for test taking
2. Provide Meaningful Access to Grade Level Learning ( Ex. Scaffolding, Language Objectives, Activating Background Knowledge, Comprehensible Input, Can-Do Descriptors) Krashen on How We Learn Language
3, Capacity Building: Advocating and sharing expertise with colleagues and the local community through co-teaching, involvement in teacher groups, sharing ENL websites & Toolkits, articles, posting ENL slide shows & presenting at staff meetings and teacher workshops. Ex. Answers to Common ENL Questions-CANVA Presentation
NOTE: ENL teachers do not translate, but they can suggest several good tech tools that can be used for this purpose, and districts also hire Interpreters (inquire at your local RBERN) who are trained for this task. Best School Communication Programs are discussed Here Sample Curriculum Map by Proficiency Level Here
Helping Colleagues Understand the Role of the ENL Teacher
What does an Actual ENL Lesson Look Like? (Video)
View an ENL lesson from an Elementary school in Syracuse, NY. The teacher posts and discusses lesson objectives for ELLs before starting the lesson. Gradual release is one strategy used here. (I do, we do, you do) The teacher also demonstrates modeling. Students learn targeted vocabulary in small groups with peer assisted instruction/student leaders,
Understanding the 5 Different Language Levels (Video)
This video explains what students can do at the 5 levels and offers some helpful strategies for teachers. For example, newcomer ELLs will need to start with basic vocabulary and survival skills. There may be a silent period while they listen and learn. Begin by working on essential vocabulary with pictures and word walls to include greetings, classroom items and basic grammar.
ENL teachers are amazing and dedicated professionals. The work that they do for our schools is appreciated. Many thanks for their dedication and the time they put in to enable ELL students' success. In this article, the author shares strategies for how to spend your much needed time in the summer instead of creating lesson plans!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse