#009 - Text engineering for EL success with Susan Patterson
In today’s episode, I am chatting with my dear friend Susan Patterson about text engineering and how we all can help make content accessible to our English learners. Susan is a district Multilingual/ELD Teacher on Special Assignment in California, which is a fancy title for doing a little bit of everything! But mostly, she develops professional learning around best practices for multilingual students in her district and supports ELD coaches as they go through their own coaching cycles ...
22 Feb 202235min
#008 - ESL/ELL Curriculum in Three Easy Steps
Can you relate to any or all of the next statements? I am tasked with teaching ESL/ELL newcomers, but my district doesn’t have a curriculum for that. I teach middle and high schoolers - and that is an added layer to the lack of curriculum . I teach mixed level classes - where do I find ready made lessons?Being an ESL teacher usually involves a lot of moving parts. In order to ensure our students’ success, we must be well-versed in language acquisition theory and practic...
15 Feb 202217min
#007 - How to Make an Impact as an ESL Teacher
In today’s episode, I wanted to talk about the impact we make as ESL teachers. We know we are an important part of our English learners’ day, but what about reaching out to your colleagues and the community? I will share two ways you can start establishing your name both in your school and in the community. You’ll learn how one simple email has turned into a ripple effect across the district, and what you can do to help put your EL program on the map. Here is what you will hear: Fir...
8 Feb 202213min
#006 - The simple steps to collaboration between EL and general education teachers with Courtney Morgan
In today’s episode, I am chatting with my dear friend Courtney Morgan about collaboration between EL and general education teachers. This topic is so important, yet there are so many questions about what collaboration looks like, especially in districts that have a smaller EL program, the steps both sides can take to help English learners, as well as the mindset shift that needs to take place. *** Courtney Morgan is an English Learner Specialist and teacher, living near Asheville,...
1 Feb 202228min
#005 - 4 Ways to Use Students' First Language in Teaching English
Are we allowed to use the students’ first language in the classroom? If so, how much and for how long? I can translate all the materials, but where does English learning come in? In this episode, I will be sharing tips not only for ESL teachers, but also for content area teachers who have English learners in the classroom. So if you think your colleagues will benefit, please share this episode with them. Here is what you will hear: First, we will go over the challenges of u...
25 Jan 202221min
#004 - Choice Boards for ESL Students: How to Use them in the Classroom
Choice boards in the ESL classroom? The idea is great, but how can I implement it? I have a mixed-level classroom, or I work with ESL newcomers, or - insert your own situation. In this episode, I share some ideas on how you can actually implement choice boards in your ESL classroom, and feel like both you and your students are actually getting somewhere. Here is what we talk about: What choice boards are, why it is a good idea to use them with English learners and what chal...
18 Jan 202218min
#002 - What to Teach ESL/ELL Newcomers FIRST
In this episode I answer the question I receive by far the most frequently - what to teach ESL/ELL newcomers first. Here is what you will hear: A story about one of my studentsA fun method of how to teach introductionsThe most important topics to cover in those first days and weeksMake sure to subscribe to this podcast so you can find it easily and be informed when new episodes are released! To celebrate the launch of the ESL Teaching Podcast, we are hosting a giveaway! We are giving...
11 Jan 202213min
#003 - 5 Steps to Teaching a Mixed Proficiency Level ESL Class
A lot of ESL/ELL teachers work with students in mixed proficiency level classes. It is a challenging task, and we always wonder if we are doing the right thing, if we are using the right strategy or the right scaffold. In this episode, I share a bit about how I structure my mixed-level class, and the activities and resources you can use in yours as well. Here is what you will hear: We will talk about the challenges of teaching mixed proficiency level classesWe will touch upon on...
11 Jan 202216min
