SOCIAL LANGUAGE

STRATEGIES

FOR SUPPORTING NON-

CLASSIFIED ESL

STUDENTS

Presented by:

Jessica Gwin

2nd Grade Teacher

M.T.E.S.

WHY ESL?

WHO ARE NON-CLASSIFIED ESL

STUDENTS?

A majority of ESL students receive

most, if not all, of their instruction

from a mainstreamed classroom

teacher (O’Hara & Pritchard, 2008).

This often hinders reading, writing

and language success of ESL

students, and leaves mainstreamed

teachers feeling overwhelmed and

unprepared.

Providing primary ESL students

with effective language and social

support is crucial to their academic

success and interpersonal

relationships.

Not only are academic strategies

necessary for elementary educators working

with non-native English speakers, but

social language strategies are also needed

to ensure language success.

According to Kim (2008), an

instructional challenge of teaching young

ESL students is helping them develop oral

language skills required to participate in

and out of the classroom. Reading and

writing play a positive role in social

language development.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

SOCIAL LANGUAGE

DIFFICULTIES FOR NON-CLASSIFIED ESL STUDENTS

Video Clip

Vocabulary Strategies *Will strengthen oral language skills.

BE Interactive!

Total Physical Response (TPR)

Group Activity (Compare & Contrast)

Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

Labels

Picture Cues – Picture Rings

(Can be used throughout the day)

Definitions…give them meaning.

Cooperative Learning (CL) Interaction

Communication

Socialization

Peer-Support

One-on-One Support

Reinforcement

Teacher Modeling

Student Modeling

“Ask 3 Before Me!”

Reading Coach

Independence…Confidence

Culture Classrooms

Many ESL students feel like outsiders.

Get to know your students’ backgrounds

and cultures.

“Break the Ice” Activities

Add student history and family traditions

into lessons. – see lesson plans

Find materials in native language, if able.

Positive atmosphere – star student

Find time to take “commercial breaks.”

MusicSongs can be used for teaching

conversational English and vocabulary.

Don’t be afraid!

Creativity

Enhance literacy instruction through music.

Songs, chants, and rhymes can be used.

Sentence patterns, pronunciation, rhythm, and parts of speech.

Doesn’t always need background music… acapella!

Check out Mr. Ray!

Teaching Techniques

Clear directions

Pacing

Pronunciation

Model

Repeat

Don’t assume…idioms

Don’t be afraid to correct errors!

Other Strategies…

Students can communicate in a

variety of ways!

Blogging

Reader’s Theater

Role Playing

Podcasts - Example

Writing: Journaling, Tootles, etc.

Family Support

Create a welcoming environment for

family members.

Send home surveys to get to know

students and families.

Stay in contact for school and

classroom events.

Share community events.

Invite parent volunteers whenever

possible.

HAVE PATIENCE!

REFERENCE

Kim, Y. (2008). The effects of integrated language-based

instruction in elementary ESL learning. Modern Language

Journal, 92(3), 431-451. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.2008.00756.x

O’Hara, S., & Pritchard, R. H. (2008). Meeting the challenge of

diversity: Professional development for teacher educators.

Teacher Education Quarterly, 35(1), 43-61. Retrieved from

http://www.teqjournal.org

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