Guiding Principles and Practical Strategies for Instructing Children in English as a Second Language

As a classroom teacher or future educator, you might encounter students who are new to the country and have a limited understanding of the English language. Naturally, you might be concerned about the best ways to assist these students in teaching English as a second language. Although language can be a hurdle to their academic progress, it’s evident that young kids have an innate ability to acquire a new language, even as they maintain their routine academic progress. With kindness, patience, and encouragement, your English language learners (ELLs) can truly thrive, provided the right methods are used. Let’s delve deeper into what instructing children in English as their non-primary language looks like in schools nationwide before exploring the most effective strategies and offering some advice for parents as well!

How is ESL Education Implemented in Schools?

The methodology for instructing children in English as an additional language can vary quite a bit based on your school, district, state, and region. Even though
the federal government provides guidelines, the programs for ELLs are dictated and supervised by the state, with different districts sometimes interpreting those rules in their own individual ways. The resources and teaching materials available can vary from one school to another, and some private schools may not provide ESL services at all!

Regardless of where you teach, you may encounter the following models.

Pull-Out vs. Push-In Services in ESL

ESL lessons might be conducted in a different room where a duly certified ELL teacher draws a student out from the standard education class during the scheduled English Language Arts period. This is referred to as “pull-out” services, where
the learner becomes part of a small group that requires comparable assistance for
a lesson that takes the place of the regular class.

Conversely, “push-in” services involve a specific staff member co-teaching a class alongside the standard education teacher. This collaborative approach enables
the main teacher to design lessons for the whole class, while the ESL teacher provides necessary modifications so as to accommodate students requiring ESL support.

Resource Classrooms

Certain students may arrive in the country without any English language knowledge. As you can imagine, these students need extensive support. They need to learn the fundamentals of a new language while also ensuring they don’t lag behind in such vital disciplines as math and reading. To solve this problem, many schools provide a resource class that fully substitutes the regular classroom. In this class, students of similar language proficiency levels gather to work with the ESL teacher for as long as needed or mandated.

Bilingual and Dual Language Programs

What could be more effective than teaching English as a second language to children along with native speakers who are also learning your students’ mother language? For Spanish speakers, this could be a viable option in the form of dual language programs!

These programs typically occur in regular schools within your area, though they may sometimes be found in private or charter schools. Generally, these programs value the importance of being bilingual. Learners are clustered, with half of
the day’s education sessions taught in Spanish and the other half in English.
The aim is that total immersion will expedite learning a second language and can be advantageous to both English and Spanish speakers.

Tips for General Education Teachers

Regardless of what programs your school provides for students, figuring out
the best ways to assist ELL students can feel ill at ease. Consider implementing
the following strategies to provide effective support.

Implement a Buddy System

Peer learning can be a remarkably effective tool in your teaching toolkit. As you familiarize yourself with your students, identify those who naturally lead and excel in learning. Implementing a buddy system in your classroom can involve pairing all students and assigning your ELLs a buddy who can make them feel at ease and provide help during group activities and assignments. Through partnering with
a peer, language students can acquire daily salutations, local phrases, and enhance grammar through their interactions.

Integrate Thematic Vocabulary Lessons

Learning vocabulary randomly is seldom helpful for most kids, especially for those learning English! Design your lessons to link vocabulary to a theme you’re teaching. For instance, when introducing new sight words or spelling words, connect them to a theme or context that students are currently studying.

Employ Technology

Apps have significantly evolved in recent years, particularly those designed to assist students who need extra support! Both teachers and parents can access apps through their school district or purchase them individually. These applications range from interpreting instruments to syntax-based activities. Some apps worth considering include:

• Google Translate
• Duolingo
• Kids Academy’s English worksheets for kids
• Grammar Up

Introduce and Review

Introducing unfamiliar and complex words is vital for all students, but it’s particularly essential for those learning a new language! Teach specific words in advance so students can contextualize them when they encounter them in the text being studied in class.

Once you’ve assessed mastery, be ready with a strategy for review and reassessment. Adhere to your school’s Response to Intervention (RTI) procedures to ensure you’re following campus and district policies. Within those boundaries, prepare for concentrated reviews of certain skills or concepts.

Apply ESL Techniques during Group Reading Sessions

When previewing words and during group reading and instruction, it’s essential to use particular strategies to ensure children can recognize words and start to comprehend them when employed in activities corresponding to their educational level like reading out loud. Consider the following ideas to help make words and their meanings more memorable:

• Use facial expressions, gestures, and point to words and images to link meanings
• Show real items, objects, or examples of the concept being discussed
• Illustrate explanations on the whiteboard
• Make sure to use language that’s appropriate for the students’ level and keep sentences simple

Support, Support, Support!

Segment projects and tasks into manageable parts and provide specific adaptations and aids suitable for each student. Consult your school’s ESL coordinator for aids such as dual-language lexicons or supportive gadgets that might be beneficial. Aim to introduce information before presenting it and review any content necessary to ensure understanding.

Collaboration between Parents and Teachers

As a teacher, maintaining open and friendly communication with the parents of your ELL students is crucial, even when language differences can make collaboration challenging. Many schools have staff members who can assist with translation during meetings, so don’t hesitate to ask colleagues for help.

For parents, it’s equally important to maintain open communication and support their children in learning a second language and their academic progress. Different countries often have unfamiliar policies or curricula; this can be daunting initially, but students might fall further behind while adjusting to new environments and unfamiliar faces and language.

The following advice can be beneficial for both teachers and parents:

Keep Developing the First Language

Upon initial observation, enhancing abilities in an ELL’s native language might seem unhelpful. However, it’s crucial that language learners continue to improve their reading and writing skills in their first language. Parents and teachers shouldn’t anticipate English to override a student’s culture and native language. Ultimately, the aim is to become bilingual, and a student’s home culture should be appreciated and championed.

Educational TV Shows and Apps

Parents can partake in learning with their children by watching educational shows or using apps. Some well-known and highly recommended resources include:

• Brainpop

• FluentU

• Sesame Street

• LeapFrog

Urge Parents to Read with Their Children

Some parents might lack literacy skills, or maybe they only read or speak in their native language. If so, parents might find that picture books without words are ideal, as children can use them to form words in both English and their home language, and have storytelling sessions with the family. Additionally, parents are encouraged to read books to students in their family’s mother tongue as often as possible.

Teaching English as a second language can seem daunting, especially for a general education teacher who has to cater to a variety of personalities, abilities, and challenges. Luckily, there are many strategies and methods you can easily adopt to effectively support your ELL students.