In the United States, over thirteen million children speak a language other than English at home. After English, Spanish is the most common language spoken (Source: Data Center). In 2016, there were 456,000 Texas students who had difficulty speaking English.

“What level of cognitive complexity are students operating at,” asks Dr. Chris Moersch, “when using technology in the classroom?” Technology, asserts Dr. Moersch, needs to be used to think and reason.

“It doesn’t matter how much money you throw at it (spending on technology) if you’re using it at a low level,” says Dr. Desiree Marks-Arias. “What is the potential for using technology at its highest level?”

Three ESL Support Pillars

1. Student Achievement
2. HEAT Levels
3. LOTI Levels

If you are not familiar with flipped learning (#flippedlearning Twitter chat is nice to get caught up), here is how I describe it to others:

In a typical flipped classroom, students listen to pre-recorded video lectures before class and perform other learning activities in class. In this flipped structure, students are exposed to material before class via videos and readings, and they attain deeper knowledge in class via activities. Why would you want to go to the trouble of doing flipped learning? Because the research says it works. I like to point folks to 10 Published Findings and Studies that offer qualitative and quantitative results in support of flipped learning, as well as Sophia Learning’s Flipped Classroom online course (free!). And keep in mind that flipped learning can work with students of any age.

Greater than fifty percent of learners are non-linguistic. This involves students generating a representation of new information that does NOT rely on language. Robert Marzano says “the average effect [of using non-linguistic representation] includes a seventeen percentile point gain in student achievement.” Wow.

For language learners, consider that “when students make concept maps, idea webs, dramatizations, and other types of nonlinguistic representation, they are actively creating a model of their thinking.” Building virtual worlds in Minecraft: Education Edition can “encourage exploration and experimentation by allowing learners to manipulate their learning experience and visualize results. When students then explain their models, they are putting their thinking into words” (Source).

Tools and Apps

• Padlet.com or the Padlet app
• Popplet Lite app
• Chatterpix
• Graphic Organizers

Infographic Tools

• Thinglink
• Canva
• Easel.ly

Both Microsoft Office 365 and G Suite EDU offer many exciting tools and enhancements that can be adapted for use with ELL/ESL learners.

Step 1 – Create Content

The tools for creating content have never been easier to use. Consider the following:

• Narrated Audio Slideshows
  • On the iPad, you can use free apps like 30HandsLearning, as well as paid apps like Explain Everything ($2.99) on iPad/Android tablets.
  • On a Chromebook, you can create a narrated slideshow (lots of instructions available online).
• Create eBooks – Students can create eBooks that incorporate audio, video, and text. (read more)
  • On iPad/Android tablets, use Book Creator app ($4.99).
  • On Chromebook and/or laptops/desktop computers, create an eBook with Google Docs, which now features ePub export file format, or MS Word with Calibre’s convert Word to ePub (no cost), respectively.

Learn more about creating ebooks

• Digital Storytelling – Students can approach storytelling from two perspectives: oral or written composition. Remember that the digital storytelling approach can be used for any content area. And students reading peers’ content while listening to audio is powerful and supported in the research.
  • Oral Storytelling – The focus is on audio recording. Take pictures and then add audio narration. Or simply record audio of a child’s story and then have them prepare text to match it.
  • Written Composition Approach – Students write a script, match pictures to main events in the script, and then narrate it, combining all the components into a narrated slideshow.