![]() Making the communication structure visible is critical for language learners. ![]() What will each participant do? What will they say? What will they look like? Model so there is no ambiguity. Show students what the conversation will look like. As teachers, we step aside from the center of the classroom “stage” and allow our students to speak with partners and in groups frequently.Ĭlearly and explicitly model the expectations of talk. We leave space for student to student talk. We encourage open questioning and curiosity. This means we allow for mistakes in speaking. A classroom that embraces mistakes as opportunities for growth helps to lower the affective filter of ELs. If an EL is nervous about speaking or making a mistake, chances are they won’t try. Here are four steps that promote speaking with English-learners:Ĭreating a safe classroom for all students to talk is most important. ![]() And this listening, speaking, and writing vocabulary will also help them build their reading vocabulary. And as they speak, they are growing their own writing vocabulary. As they listen to their peers, they are building more vocabulary. We have to get them speaking regularly using domain-specific vocabulary on a daily basis. We may not be able to control the language or vocabulary our students use at home, but we have a great deal of control over how they use it in our classrooms. That very well could have been a different story. Though speaking at my home using my native language was truly a wonderful bridge for me and helped me to internalize what I learned at school, I wasn’t practicing enough academic English vocabulary. I had very little practice speaking English and using academic vocabulary with my peers. only I shared with her in Serbian (our native language). Then when I got home, I told my mom everything I learned that day in school. Unless my teacher spoke directly to me, I could go all day without saying a single word except for at lunch and recess with my closest friend. This was a learned cultural difference that I brought from home to my academic setting. He/she held the knowledge, and it was not my role to speak. It was ingrained in me from my parents that my job as the student was to go to school and listen to the teacher. When I was a young language learner, I, myself, spent most of my day listening quietly in the classroom. So the question becomes, how do we promote speaking especially for our ELs in order to advance their language development and see academic growth? ![]() On top of that information, ELs are called on to speak less frequently in classrooms across our country. ![]() Studies show that most of the talk happening in classrooms comes from the teacher, and when students talk, their answers are at a low level, usually one word or simple phrases. Unfortunately, even today, our students are still not talking enough about academic content in the classrooms. She can be reached through her website or on Twitter :Įnglish-learners (ELs) benefit from time to discuss in the classroom using the target language and domain-specific vocabulary. In addition to presenting, she writes a monthly blog for MiddleWeb focused on supporting ELLs. She works with teachers of English-learners to support language and literacy instruction. Valentina Gonzalez is currently a professional-development specialist for ELLs in Texas. ![]()
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