One of the most frequently asked questions I get asked as an ESL teacher about teaching newcomers is what do you do when a student doesn’t speak ANY English? This situation can be overwhelming for both the student, who may be adjusting to a whole new culture, and the classroom teacher, who is doing their best to support the diverse needs of all of their students. In today’s episode, I chat with Karen Emerson about the strategies we have found to be effective when welcoming an English Learner, especially a newcomer, to our school communities.
Karen is a friend and fellow ESL teacher in my town. She found her niche as an ESL service provider after teaching High School Spanish for a year and realizing that being in one classroom all day, everyday, just wasn’t her thing. Now, she teaches Kindergarten and First Grade English Learners at an Early Learning Center, providing “push in” and “pull out” services for students and supporting mainstream teachers to meet the needs of Newcomers and English Learners.
Here is what you’ll hear about teaching newcomers:
- Practical tips for welcoming newcomers who speak NO English
- Strategies for collaborating with classroom teachers to support English Learners
- Cultural differences to consider when getting to know a Newcomer/English Learner
- How to use activity rotations to build student confidence and assess language gaps simultaneously
- Ideas for turning authentic experiences and conversations into valuable classroom lessons
- Effective methods for engaging and communicating with the families of English Learners
Useful resources
As mentioned in the episode, I am linking some useful resources!
Reminder – 10% of the proceeds from my sales in March 2022 will be donated to Unicef to benefit the people of Ukraine.
You may also be interested in:
- Newcomer Checklist
- Episode 2 – What to Teach ESL Newcomers First
- Teaching Absolute Beginners: An ESL Teacher’s Handbook
The ESL Teaching Roadmap – membership community for middle and high school ESL/ELL teachers. As a thank you for listening, use code ESLPODCAST for 10% off when you join.