You just found out you’re getting an ESL newcomer in your class. Go ahead and add this to the list of educational acronyms already ruling your life…
📣Sound the alarm.
🔻Raise the red flag.
🆘Send in the SOS.
AKA – Help!
Any of these sound familiar?
- PLC
- IEP
- AYP
- SEL
- RTI
As if these weren’t enough, you’re getting an ESL newcomer. Or was it an ELL newcomer?
Either way – why are YOU getting an ESL newcomer?
You already have a class full of kids. You do your job as best as you can. You have high-achieving students, bubble kids, and those that need “a little extra attention”.
You’ve got standards to teach.
Benchmarks to give over and over.
And state testing breathing down your neck.
Also, parent-teacher conferences, data tracking, behavior tracking, grading, and enough faculty meetings to make your head spin right off.
And you’re getting an ESL newcomer.
You’re feeling some mixed emotions.
- Excited about the new student and challenge. 😄
- Nervous because of the language barrier and pressure you’re already under. 😟
- Worried because you want to do your best but don’t even know where to start. 😨
Don’t panic – I’m here to ease your concerns and pull you off the edge.
The more you know about your new student, the more prepared you’ll be.
I’ll help you feel:
- Prepared to welcome your new student.
- Confident you’ll help them succeed.
- Excited to take on this new adventure.
Having an ESL newcomer in your class can be one of the most rewarding experiences in education.
Let’s get you there.
What’s an ESL Newcomer?
Before you get to the never-ending panicked questions…
- How can I teach this kid?
- How am I supposed to communicate?
- What do I do about testing?
- Does this affect my scores?
- What if there’s an emergency?
Take it all the way back to the basics.
What is a newcomer student?
WIDA, the organization that guides 42 out of 50 states’ ESL programs, says a newcomer is
“Defined as recently arrived immigrants, migrants or refugees in First Grade (Second Semester) through 12th grade, who have been in the country for less than four months, and who demonstrate compelling evidence that they have never been exposed to English.”[1]
But you’re not here for an ESL teacher definition…
So what is a newcomer?
A newcomer is a new student who doesn’t speak English.
Specifically, the new student has to be older than a kindergartener.
And recently arrived in the country.
With an obvious lack of English.
Your ESL newcomer is just like any other new student who comes into your class. Except they’re also new to the country and language.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it… teaching content to a newcomer will be challenging. You WILL struggle.
But here’s the good news – you aren’t in this alone.
The first step in welcoming a newcomer is opening your mind. Open up to your village that’s there to support you. If the village doesn’t come running, take charge and ask for help.
All hands on deck to help you and your student be successful.
Trust me – it’ll be worth it.
What to expect when you get an ESL newcomer
There’s no questioning it.
You’re getting an ESL newcomer.
The new kid in your class is a non-English speaking student.
Now what?
- Meet the ESL Teacher
First thing first – if you don’t have a relationship with your district’s ESL teacher,
*Do. This. NOW.*
The ESL teacher should give you basic information about your newcomer student.
This will include
- The student’s home language.
- The country the student moved from.
- Basic family information.
- Immediate student needs.
- A way to contact the family.
And after a little bit of testing, you’ll get more information.
Entrance testing shows the student’s current English levels in listening, reading, speaking, and writing. The ESL teacher uses this information to make a language growth plan and language goals for the student.
🤯This might blow your mind. But I need to prep you for this now so you can make the mindset shift.
When you get an ESL newcomer, you’re a content AND language teacher.
You’ll continue to teach your normal content standards.
You’ll also teach language standards to your newcomer student.
Again – you’re not in this alone.
The ESL teacher will give you information and resources to help with this.
You’ll know exactly what the student can do with their current level of English.
Once you know what the newcomer student can do, you’ll have a plan to move them forward.
You’ll see what behaviors you can expect at the next level. And have resources to get them there.
2. Follow the Language Plan
The Instructional Language Plan (ILP) will be your guide for teaching your ESL newcomer.
Don’t worry – this isn’t more paperwork for you.
The ESL teacher will make and share the ILP with you. As you get more comfortable with your ESL newcomer – which you will – the ILP will become a collaborative resource.
This amazing document has
- Basic student info
- Current language levels
- What to expect in your class
- Language and academic goals
- Projected proficiency levels
- Accommodations and modifications
❓Whenever you’ve got a question, check the ILP.
When you don’t know how to modify for your newcomer student, look at the ILP.
Thinking they’re being lazy? Check out what they can actually do in English on the ILP.
Use the ILP to get you and your ESL newcomer through the day.
Make every day count. Use the ILP to teach effectively.
3. Make a plan for testing your ESL newcomer.
If you teach a tested subject and grade level, you need to know about state testing.
Discuss state testing with your ESL teacher. States have different plans, so figure out what your state requires.
This ranges from newcomer students participating in all state testing…
to being exempt for a certain amount of time.
If your ESL newcomer will participate in state testing, they’ll get accommodations. Find out what those are and make sure you’re doing them in class as well.
Getting an ESL newcomer can be scary.
Remember you’re not alone. Use the resources available and ask for help.
Want to be ahead of the game?
Click the button below to download the a checklist that will help ease your mind and build connections with your new English learner!
🙏Be prepared before they ever walk into your room.
I talk a lot about teaching newcomers, so you will find many resources on my website that will be super helpful for you.
After you’ve downloaded the Classroom Teacher’s ESL Survival Guide, make sure to check out my podcast episode about teaching newcomers.