If you are a teacher....
You probably have one or more English language learners (ELLs) in one of your classes. If you don't this year, you probably will next year, or the year after that. The number of English language learners in our public schools continues to grow each year, and students who learn English are generally not isolated from the rest of the student population. They are in our content area classes - math, science, social studies, and sometimes language arts - whether or not they have enough skills in English to fully participate.
Which means that every teacher needs to think of himself or herself, at least in part, as a language teacher in addition to your main discipline. You don't just teach the content and skills of math; you also teach the language and syntax of math, paying attention to specialized vocabulary words and reading or writing skills that your students are less likely to encounter outside of your classroom.
Which means that every teacher needs to think of himself or herself, at least in part, as a language teacher in addition to your main discipline. You don't just teach the content and skills of math; you also teach the language and syntax of math, paying attention to specialized vocabulary words and reading or writing skills that your students are less likely to encounter outside of your classroom.
Have you ever found yourself saying...
She speaks English fine. Why is she failing?
Numbers are the same no matter where you live. What is so hard about my math class?
I wish my school would keep students in ESOL classes and not put them in content classes until they learn English.
He's just not doing the work in my class. It's not a language issue!
Numbers are the same no matter where you live. What is so hard about my math class?
I wish my school would keep students in ESOL classes and not put them in content classes until they learn English.
He's just not doing the work in my class. It's not a language issue!