To attain proficiency with a new language, it is essential that Multilingual Learners have numerous, daily opportunities to practice and apply what they are learning and interact with the content/language in a variety of ways. This should occur throughout the lesson...not just at the conclusion. When new skills and knowledge are immediately put to use, they are more likely to be retained over time. Equally important, practice and application activities provide an opportunity for educators to assess student learning and adjust instruction.
Providing students with hands-on materials and manipulatives to practice and apply new concepts.
Virtual manipulatives, or digital objects, that perform similar to physical objects. Many of the virtual manipulatives typically used in mathematics education are available. For example, see these free, virtual manipulatives from Toy Theater, Math Playground, and Didax.
Simulations (real or virtual) of science/math concepts. Check out these simulations from PhET targeted at middle school students.
Using sites like Radiolab, Science Friday, Listenwise, Stuff You Missed in Class, and Stuff You Should Know to provide listening tasks that require students to write down and share with their peers information in writing and orally.
Having students create and perform short skits that demonstrate understanding of key concepts or components of what is being taught (i.e...the water cycle, text summaries, parts of a cell).
Teacher-provided songs, jazz chants, and other rhythmic activities to help students practice speaking in phrases and to remember key concepts/content. For example, check out the following: a teacher-created vocabulary chant; the life cycle song from Scratch Garden; the Preamble of the Constitution from School House Rock.
Student-created songs that demonstrate understanding of what is taught in a lesson. As an example, look at these songs written and performed by middle school students during their geology unit.
Creating situations in which students must interview someone, write up the results and present them orally to the class.