Teacher Discussion Forums

Hi, I'm a second year ESL teacher in a public high school. I have ESL 1...newcomers. Last year, I had some students who knew a tiny bit...but this year all my ESL ones seem to know NOTHING...and I dont speak their native language..only a few key phrases. Last year I had a few students who would help...

According to an article "Performance of ELLs as a Subgroup in Large Scale Assessment," ELL students are given several accommodations. However, studies on these accommodations have been done and raise concerns for the appropriateness of some of them. For example, research has found that many common a...

I recently read an article found in Education Week that said that many people are saying that some school districts are overzealous in categorizing students as ELLs in the aim of complying with federal & state laws to ensure that students of immigrants get extra help w/ English. They say that the in...

I totally agree with you..Obviously Gov Christie has no idea what it is like to teach- in ANY type of classroom. He is pretty naive in terms of merit pay because you are absolutely right- Many teachers work extremely hard to teach their kids and no matter how hard they work, some kids just can't get...

I teach elementary ELLs and they also show cultural differences; it appears very important to them to remind me about their nationalities their background. At times their explanations are confusing because of their young age; but they try very hard to get their point across. In the case of younger ...

I also agree with what people have been saying. I believe it is vital for both the teacher and family to encourage use of the L1 at appropriate times. Students shouldn't think that using their L1 is a crime or discouraged, but rather should be made aware that their culture/traditions/background is a...

Through an assignment in my ESL grad class, I was introduced to Bill 2228. This bill basically states that students who were once identified as LEP or disabled can be identified and classified as still LEP or disabled even if they are no longer, for up to three school years. Is anyone familiar with ...

I honestly believe that it is crucial for ELLs L1 to be supported both in the classroom (even if it is in small amounts) and at home in order for them to continue to have success in English. Although I was never an ELL myself, I try to put myself in their (ELLs) shoes as often as possible when think...

What are some effective ways of designing and conducting classroom activities that encourage the students families to participate in their children's education? What are some ways of communicating with parents when you don't speak the L1 fluently? (Besides the obvious of getting a translator)- Do yo...

Unfortuntely I think it will have to deal largely with whether or not there is enough funding for it and the test scores. Also, it could depend on whether districts decide to come up with other ways to support LEP students other than through regular bilingual programs... maybe schools will start to ...

It is interesting to note that after Prop 203 (Arizona) was passed in 2000 and the case of Castaneda v. Pickard (1981- requiring school districts to do whatever they can to overcome language barriers that impede the participation of its students), it seems that 10-11 years later, those barrieres hav...

Hi, I know this response is a little late, but I wish someone had responded to your post. I have experience using the SIOP model in college classes, I have not yet used it in an actual classroom. I wonder if your professors have introduced you to CALLA also, because in my ESL program we have been sh...

I was just wondering if any of you guys had any experience in Dual Immersion Bilingual programs- where, for example, both native english & spanish speakers were in one class and the content is taught in both Spanish & English. Do you feel that this would be a benefit for both of the native speakers ...