Transcript ESL Best (and Worst) Practices

Strategies for Supporting Second-Language
Students (L2S)
Best (and Worst) Practices
Elizabeth Visedo, Ph.D.
How/When to Speak
Don’t
 speak too fast
 hurry students’ responses
 use unnatural speech, such as
baby talk, shouting or excessively
slow talking
 use too many idioms or
colloquialisms.
Do
 speak at normal speed and
clearly
 moderate your speed if you are a
fast talker
 repeat yourself or rephrase what
you said when necessary
 after asking a question, wait for a
few seconds before calling on
someone to respond
 provide students with enough
time to formulate their responses,
whether in speaking or in writing
 help to shape what the L2S wants
to say
Wait Time
Teaching English
Do
Don’t
 treat English as a separate subject
for L2Ss to learn only in ESL lessons
 put L2Ss on the spot by asking
them to participate before they
are ready
 feed your L2Ss on a diet of
worksheets
 remember the English to which
L2Ss are exposed in your
classroom is of crucial importance
to their academic language
development
 correct content from the start
 correct grammar or pronunciation
later
 allow for the "silent period" that
some students go through
 provide opportunities for L2Ss to
use language and concepts in
meaningful situations
 Include a variety of ways of
participating in your instruction,
e.g. in cooperative groups
Non-Linguistic Cues
Don’t
 stand in front of the class and
lecture
 rely on a textbook as your only
visual aid
 assume L2Ss understand what you
are saying
 or that they are already familiar
with school customs and
procedures
Do
 use visuals and sketches
 use gestures and intonation
 use other non-verbal cues to
make both language and
content more
visual/auditory
representations
Learning Environment
Don’t
 separate or isolate students away
from the rest of the class physically or instructionally
 limit your L2Ss’ access to
authentic, "advanced" materials
Creating a language-rich
environment will allow your
L2Ss to learn even when you
aren’t directly teaching them.
Do
 make sure L2Ss are seated where
they can see and hear well
 provide them with maximum
access to the instructional and
linguistic input
 encourage them to collaborate
with native-English peers
 involve them in some manner in
all classroom activities
 fill your classroom with print and
with interesting things to talk,
read, and write about
Directions
Do
 give oral and written instructions
Don’t
 just tell students what to do and
expect them to do it
 act surprised if students are lost
when you haven't given step-bystep directions
 model
 what they are expected to do
or produce
 explain and demonstrate
learning actions
 share your thinking processes
aloud
 show good student work
samples.
 promotes learning and motivation
 increases student self-confidence
Modeling
Checks
Don’t
 simply ask, "Are there any
questions?"
 assume students are
understanding because they are
smiling and nodding their heads
 wait until mid-term to assess their
literacy skills
Do
 assess their literacy skills and
course readiness during the
drop/add period
 recommend LRC when necessary
 regularly check students’
understanding
 after a lesson or explanation say,
"Please put thumbs up, thumbs
down, or sideways to let me know
if this is clear, and it's perfectly fine
if you don't understand or are
unsure -- I just need to know."
 or have students quickly
answer on a Post-It note that
they place on their desks
 or have exit slips
checking for
understanding
Home Language (L1)
Don’t
 "ban" L2Ss’ L1s from the classroom
Forbidding students from using their
L1 discourages them from taking
risks and making mistakes. It can
also harm teacher-student
relationships, especially if teachers
act more like language "police"
than language "coaches"
Do
 encourage students to build their
L1 literacy skills
Research supports that learning to
read in the L1 promotes reading
achievement in the L2 as "transfer"
occurs, including phonological
awareness, comprehension skills, and
background knowledge.
Respect
Do
 encourage all students to work
with and help L2Ss
Don’t
 laugh at their mistakes or make
jokes at their expense
 allow other students to belittle L2Ss
 confuse low English proficiency with
low intelligence
 confuse lack of knowledge of the
classroom culture with
uncooperativeness
 assume their previous school
experience followed American
standards
 create success opportunities for
L2Ss’ & praise their achievements
 treat L2Ss as full members of the
classroom community
 help them to feel comfortable
 set your expectations high &
clear
 ask for more participation and
work as they become able to
accomplish it
 learn as much about L2Ss and
their backgrounds as you can
 use that knowledge to enrich the
lives and learning of all the
students
References
Ferlazzo, L. (2012). Do's & don'ts for teaching English-language learners.
Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/esl-ell-tips-ferlazzosypnieski
Shoebottom, P. (1996/2013). Classroom guidelines. Retrieved from
http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/guide.htm