Welcome!

Thank you for joining us as we collaboratively share best practices, experiences, and ideas to support English Language Learners (ELLs) and students with IEPs.  We hope that you share experiences, ask questions, and come away with something new to ponder or try in your classroom.

On this page, we will maintain all the resources and materials, including the Workshop Google Drive folder.  If you have additional resources to share, we would like to share them here for everyone within the Math for America community!  Reach out and share.

Thank you!  ~Sage and Justin

Workshop Google Drive Folder Access

This link will provide access to the main folder where all the shared resources will reside.  Some materials on this webpage are not housed in Google Drive since the material resides on a website, etc.  There are tons of resources related to IEPs, SESIS, and ELL instruction.  The main components of the Workshop Google Drive Folder include:

Getting to Know Your Students     Other IEP Resources     Progress Tracking     Resources for ELLs     SESIS     Workshop Presentation

ELL Tips, Ideas, and Strategies for the Science Classroom

There are a myriad of ideas for supporting ELLs in the science classroom through scaffolds that amplify learning.  Many strategies you already use in your classroom are supporting your ELLs!  Below is a curated list of resources that help accelerate English acquisition alongside content learning, as in our science classrooms.  

Some tenets to keep in mind about language learning and teaching include:

• Consider how to adapt, modify, build, or incorporate some of these ideas bit by bit.   It's not an overnight process, and try to be reflective along the way!  

• Keep in mind that bilingualism is an asset; not a deficit.  As learners become more and more bilingual, they are pulling from multiple reference points to make meaning around new concepts.  

• Be mindful of the social and emotional challenges that interplay with moving and learning in a new culture.  Try to empathize by envisioning yourself learning new content in an unfamiliar language.  

• Brain fatigue is real when simultaneously navigating a new language, new information, and new cultural dynamics.  Foster empathy. 

• Amplify rather than simplify content and language learning:  Easier said than done!  Here are some strategies like picture matching, cloze sentence activities, card sorting, categorization, and text reconstruction.  Thank you, ElevatED, Daria Witt, and Michael Soet, who hosted a MfA PLT on Schema Building.

  • • ElevatED's Resources provide tools and strategies for scaffolding, reducing cognitive overload  (simultaneously learning language and content), developing language objectives, fostering collaboration/discussion, and building schema (connecting prior knowledge to upcoming learning).

    • Readworks.org is useful (and FREE!) for finding passages that are differentiated (audio, pre-reading activities, different languages for directions, etc) on different topics, including science, across reading levels.

• Preview-View-Review: Use the native language to front load information to help ELLs learn in the target (English) language.

  • • Consider introducing lessons, topics, concepts, and ideas through videos, readings (English and/or home language), and structured conversations (try triads or groupings that include students who use both languages)

    • Here is another resource that introduces the Preview-View-Review (PDF page 12; left side) alongside other helpful strategies (like wait time, cooperative learning, non-linguistic clues (like graphic organizers), jig saws, and sentence starters and sentence frames).

    • Think of it as a mini-version of the 'flipped classroom' that allows a learner the time to process, prepare, reference, and review the content and language.  The learner can also return to the material to access/digest.

• English Learner Engagement Strategies:  Here are 25 engaging strategies grouped around three key instructional practices for ELLs in content classrooms put together by Math for America Master Teachers Izagma Alonso and Luna Ramirez (and CSTA).  All in one document!  Experiment with strategies in each section that helps amplify teaching and learning:

  • • "Promoting Collaborative Discussion about Content"

    • "Supporting Comprehension and Interpretation of Complex Texts (Receptive)"

    • "Supporting Academic Language"

• Embrace the native language (even if you cannot use it!)

  • • Promote/validate thinking, using, and doing in the native language. If the goal is for students to demonstrate content understanding, allow them to use, reference, and rely on native language tools.

      • • Receptive language (listening and reading) is often ahead of productive language (speaking and writing). This is why always demanding English to demonstrate understanding can become difficult and a cognitive overload.

    • TIP: Once you find or create a resource on a topic or unit, save it for future use, especially if it is in other languages!

• Collaborative Learning 

  • • Structure learning activities that allow for pairs, triads, and small groups, including the use of the native language.  Allow students plenty of time to talk and discuss the topic or content using conversation protocols/strategies.  

    • ElevatED's Collaborative Structures Resource includes 17 different structured activities like Four Corners, List-Group-Label, Pairs Compare, See-Think-Wonder and so on.  Experiment with what works best for your science classroom for different units of study.

• Communicate High Expectations 

  • • This means supportively understanding reasonable expectations for what a student can demonstrate.  Communicate that belief and attitude via words and actions.  Provide varied opportunities to show what they know, using their home language, visuals, tech support, and so on.  There is no 'waiting' to learn English or content.  They are already ready!  It does take time though; not just this school year.

    • Remember that they are coming with a whole host of knowledge and experience; the language barrier can mask that knowledge and experience.  Amplifying lesson activities allows ELLs to demonstrate understanding.

    • Seek to provide clear, tangible models and exemplars of activities, projects, and assignments.  Consider having former student work samples, even as photos if needed, available. 

• Doing, Visual, Audio, Video, Repetition

  • • Science learning can lend itself to language learning.  Strive for more doing (and modeling), visuals, and audio supports using these strategies and tools. 

    • When possible repeat, or consider recording ahead of time, to allow for previewing and reviewing when students need access to steps, ideas, or directions.  Save this material for future use!

• Additional teaching and learning resources, such as picture dictionaries, using sentence frames with a writing template, bilingual glossaries, and bilingual vocabulary journal examples.  Front load/Preview/Build Schema with explicit vocabulary instruction within lessons.  

Leverage Tech Tools

Technology is a huge asset when used as a tool.  Various tools provide ELLs and students with IEPs with scaffolded supports to access the English language while learning science.  Use technology to afford students with access ahead of time (preview), during lesson activities, and after (review).  

• • • Empower ELLs by showing them how to use these tools, and provide them with the time and space to competently use them.  Also, think through how and when they can use them.  The night before? During the class's do now? Some other time? Differentiated use during the lesson sequence?

Here are some successful ideas, but there's others!  What other platforms and tools do you use?

• Readworks.org is useful for finding reading passages around science topics that are differentiated (audio, pre-reading activities, different languages for directions, etc).  The Readworks.org Teacher's Guide provides in depth support to get started.  Yes, this website has been mentioned twice!  :)

• Translate Tools for Learning and Teaching  Once modeled, allows students to quickly make meaning of spoken and written language, plus convey their thinking.  

  • • Google Translate: Here are some ways students can use Google Translate to learn English and in English.  These video tutorials can help your students understand how to use Google Translate as a learning tool. 

    • Students using iPads or iPhones?  Guide them to set up the device's Translation feature.  Here is the official Apple iPad User Guide steps. 

    • Using and Modeling Immersive Reader, which is embedded into MS Office, Nearpod, Flipgrid, etc.  Immersive Reader can provide a picture dictionary, audio supports, and the ability to toggle between different language.  Students and staff have access to Office for FREE.

      1. • You can even develop or copy English text/passages into MS Word, etc. and share with students so that they can use Immersive Reader.  Here are sample video tutorials for Immersive Reader.

• Flip (formerly Flipgrid) 

  • • Allowing students the ability to tie in writing and speaking, while affording wait time, multiple rehearsals, planning. embracing creativity, and leaning into 21st Century social media, Flip is a great platform to incorporate regularly for ELLs.  The Empowering English Learners Flip blog post highlights practical, strategic reasons for the use of Flip for ELLs. 

    • When developing a Flip assignment, you can set up Immersive Reader, add links to documents/resources, videos, images, and GIFs to support understanding and help learners make meaning before producing content (i.e. demonstrate understanding) that reinforces English and academic vocabulary.

    • Here are some video tutorials that show how to practically use Flip in (or beyond?) the classroom!

• Nearpod  

  • • Using Nearpod can provide more 'wrap around' support through differentiation and multiple ways of communicating ideas, plus embeds Immersive Reader.

    • Consider how using Nearpod can quickly: 

      • • Add more visuals, video, and audio supports (even recording your voice) to presentations and activities

        • Provide different ways for students to demonstrate knowledge, include speaking, drawing, recording a video (and adding images/GIFs).  

        • Enhance lesson engagement for students, prepares them for 21st century careers, and does not preclude formal writing/reading tasks.  It actually takes those tasks further, adding additional complexity, by encouraging them to plan and using writing for a purpose.

        • Connect online learning with analog/offline activities.

    • Here are useful video tutorials to help you add activities to presentations by using Nearpod.  These video tutorials will help students themselves.

• Khan Academy provides video supports in multiple languages and is always building out more science content.

ELL Background, Professional and Teaching Resources

Below are more general resources or professional articles and briefs to deepen understanding around supporting ELLs in the content areas.  Some of these resources provide useful insight and background into the NYCDOE school system and identification process.

• Parent Orientation Process: This link provides insight and context in the Parent Orientation process, including a video on the English Language Learner identification and assessment process, in NYCDOE schools.

• Over the Phone Interpretation for NYCDOE School Staff (FREE!)   The NYCDOE's Office of Language Access (OLA) has more interpretation and translation materials on the NYCDOE InfoHub.  Access these resources for communicating with families using your NYCDOE log in information.

• Advanced Literacies Strategies One Pager:  "Advanced literacies refers to the skills and competencies that enable communication in increasingly diverse ways and promote the understanding and use of text for a variety of purposes."

• NYSESLAT Prep: Find resources to prep your students for the NYSESLAT while accelerating their English language development, even in science class!

• ELL Language Proficiency Levels: This chart provides a general meaning for the English proficiency levels, as defined by NYSED.

• Stages of Language Acquisition Handout: This will help you understand where a student may be at language use-wise, and help adjust expectations realistically.

• ENL PLDs and TOMs: Helps center one's expectations for English usage for ELLs at different levels of language proficiency

• Similarities and Differences Between  Language Disability and Language Acquisition: Useful chart for avoiding conflating language disability and language acquisition.

• Listen Closely: How emergent bilingual students problematize phenomena through translanguaging practices: A thought provoking MfA Wednesday Webinar Series on ELLs and science learning, presented by Enrique Suarez, PhD

• NYCDOE Policy and Reference Guide for Multilingual Learners/ELLs: This DOE document "consolidates many of the critical federal, state, and city regulations that govern the education of Multilingual Learners/English Language Learners (MLs/ELLs)."  It is useful for background when trying to ensure ELLs are getting appropriate supports within your school. 

• NYSED English Language Learner and Multilingual Learner Educator Tools and Best Practices: These briefs, including the Advanced Literacies and Quality Education of ELLs/MLLs, highlight key components of second language learning, like using the native language, ensuring students have access to complex texts (yes!), standards, scaffolds, and more on technology use for language and content learning.

• Education Week's 6 Most Effective Strategies for ELLs (part of a larger list of 13 Strategies) These strategies are many of the same above that provide additional ideas for how and why they are beneficial.  If the links are inaccessible, you can access the PDF for the 6 Most Effective Strategies and the  PDF of the 13 Strategies.

• English Language Learner Proficiency Level Support Tool (NYCDOE MLL)  Across modalities (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) and across proficiency levels (entering, emerging, transitioning expanding, and commanding), this documents details how English learners can demonstrate learning, plus teaching practices and supports. 

Other Professional Resources for Teachers

Find different resources that can help you build up different aspects of your classroom, or to help you grow professionally.  Examples include FirstBook, Pets in the Classroom, and NYSED test development support.