Enhance Your ESL Instruction: Top 6 Essential Tools and Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners
Do you ever wonder what it takes to be a successful ESL ESOL teacher? What are the essential items that can help make your classroom run more smoothly? As a 14-year veteran of teaching English Language Learners, I’m here to share with you the top six things I can’t live without. From providing students a fun learning environment to engaging activities, these items are key to my teaching success. They are listed in no particular order.
1. Technology:
There is no doubt experienced teachers can work miracles with a piece of chalk and a blackboard. Teachers have been doing this for centuries. But, just as a power saw makes a lumberjack’s job easier, so does carefully selected technology which enhances, (and not replaces) language learning. Now, you know there are times when tech doesn’t work. 😊 And although I can make do with a piece of chalk, I usually feel lost without a working laptop, a projector, and speakers. Since I teach in a multi-lingual school, I rely heavily on visuals. Google slides are great for developing vocabulary presentations incorporating visual representations of words. You can see an example how I introduce vocabulary in both my ESL and integrated co-teaching content classrooms here. I also use YouTube videos. YouTube has many videos for beginner to advanced ESOL learners. My newcomer English Language Learners love this ABC Rap because it incorporates sound and movement. Some of my adolescent Ells even get up and dance with their nutty teacher!
2. Google Translate App:
This one goes without saying. While the translations are not perfect, the app is an invaluable tool for communicating important information to ELL students and parents. I like both the voice and text translations. I often use the translations to send important text messages to parents who might otherwise not receive school-wide information in their home language.
3. Books: Bilingual, Monolingual, Graphic Novels
Last year, I began Friday Free Reads whereby students read a book of their choosing. I keep a small library of books in various languages and genres. Since I think reading should be enjoyable, I don’t have my students complete an onerous reading log. I do, however, have students complete a brief reading log listing two new vocabulary words and a choice of reading comprehension activities. You can grab the reading log for free when you join my FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY.
4. Physical Games:
Games are great for providing practice and multiple exposure to vocabulary. On the day before major holidays, I break out a Holiday BINGO Game. The students love it. They even fight over who will be the “card caller.” Twice a month, I try to incorporate a game day into the curriculum. Some games we play for grammar practice are “I Have Who Has Irregular Verbs” and Plural Nouns Games.
5. BOOM Cards:
In a perfect world, our ESL classrooms would be leveled based on English language progressions. Since unicorns (and leveled classrooms) don’t exist in my world, BOOM cards provide differentiated reading, writing, and oral practice on a variety of subjects. I use these BOOM Cards for homework practice, and fast finishers. As I get newcomers throughout the year, I also use BOOM cards in conjunction with Newcomers Emergency Pack so students can hear the language as well as see it.
6. Kahoot:
“Can we play Kahoot?” is a question I hear just about every day. My students love to compete and Kahoot is a perfect venue for having some good-natured fun. It’s also great practice. I often use Kahoot games before a quiz. Either I make my own game or I choose a game from the plethora of available choices. There are plenty of free games out there, so don’t be afraid to try it out.
Do you have a favorite teaching tool? What strategies do you use to engage English Language Learners? Drop me an email at skybyrdteacher@skybyrdteacher.com. I’ll feature your great ideas in a future post!
