Strategies for teaching ESL students
Teaching
Tiered questions for each stage (examples)
Preproduction
"Show me..." "Where is..."
Early production
Yes or no questions (Questions with one-word answers)
Speech emergence
"Why?" "How?" (Questions requiring more than one word responses)
Intermediate fluency
"What would happen if this happened..." (Questions requiring more than one-sentence answers)
Advanced fluency
"Retell this situation as..." (Questions requiring essay-like responses)
Tiered assignments (writing examples)
Preproduction
Drawing a picture, adding yes or no questions
Early production
Answering simple questions, adding a few challenge questions
Speech emergence
Completing a fill-in-the-blank worksheet (crossword puzzle for example)
Intermediate fluency
If...then questions, cause and effect questions
Advanced fluency
Essay questions, explanations
Have high expectations for ALL students
All students should learn the content, but consider each student's language acquisition stage
Use different kinds of assessments
Discussions
Projects
Art projects
Use manipulatives
For reading, use scaffolded reading experiences
Split the reading comprehension work into three parts
Pre-reading
Teaching vocabulary that students will run into, discuss background knowledge of subject, discuss reading strategies
During-reading
Guided reading, silent reading, simplifying the passages or chapters, using the home language of ESL students
Post-reading
Discussions, connecting the passages, answering questions
Language usage/communication
Teach academic language
Use gestures
Be aware of your facial responses
Avoid slang and idioms
Make sure that any ESL student will understand your language
Understanding
Know each student's stage of language acquisition
Preproduction
Less verbal, nods yes and no
Early production
One or two word responses
Speech emergence
Can produce simple sentences
Intermediate fluency
Great comprehension, little errors in grammar
Advanced fluency
Fluent in English, up to native-level speaking fluency
Creating a community in the classroom
Listen to ALL students
Make an effort to understand your ESL students,
even if their answers are confusing
Believe in ALL students
Don't ever have low expectations for a student,
especially if they are in the preproduction stage
Make sure all students are able to speak in class
Use discussions, call on all students
Use terms such as...
We
Our
Together
Partners
Community
How do you know what stage your students are at?
Observation
Listen to the way your ESL students speak
Talk to your student's about their environment at home
Maybe even visit that community and see what it's like