English Language Learners

Here's some thoughts, ideas, and strategies resulting from the Enriching Content Classes for Secondary ESOL Students class I recently completed in Colorado Springs. We covered everything from the differences between primary and secondary language development to specific instructional strategies to help ELL students in content classes. If you scroll down, you see them in the reverse order that I posted them because this is a blog. So I've added links to the bottom of each post to take you to the next post and make it a more natural read (hopefully).

For those of you, like me, that have a hard time keeping track of acronyms, ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages. I didn't even know that before the class started. I'll switch back and forth between acronyms but for the purposes of this discussion, they all mean about the same thing (even though they do have their own nuances and distinct definitions).

Below, I've added the links to all three posts and a brief description of each.

English Language Learners I
Thoughts about some of the obstacles that face ESOL students when attempting to learn the academic language of different curricula.

English Language Learners II
Strategies to help ESOL students to overcome those obstacles mentioned in ELL I.

English Language Learners III
Instructional strategies to help ESOL students decode and comprehend the text they encounter in our content classes.

I have left a lot out from the class as well as from the art of teaching ESOL students. If you have anything to add, please (please, please!) leave a comment or two. You certainly won't be stepping on my cyber-toes as I don't profess to be an expert at, well, anything really. Plus, everyone benefits when we share ideas.

So please feel free to add to this rather quick synopsis.

To start, click here to go to English Language Learners I.