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__Current ESL Instructional Methods & Strategies For Teaching ESL Students__



This research page is designed to highlight some key instructional methods and strategies that can be used by ESL teachers today to ensure the most effective learning environment for modern ESL students. At the end of the page there is a video link to a site with some good suggestions on ESL teaching curriculum and practices.


 * __**Using Visual Aids**__

The use of visual aids and models has been shown to encourage participation and keep students interested in the topics and concepts being taught. Visual aids are a good way to give meaning and re-enforce the topics, words and concepts you are teaching. Concept webs and word maps are effective tools to encourage classroom engagement. By putting a word or topic on the board and asking the students to think of words or other things that relate to the central word or topic, you can find out what they know and build on it from there. You can introduce synonyms and expand their vocabulary in a visual way. Simply talking to the class most of the time has not been shown to be the most effective way to teach. Just hearing the words and concepts may not be enough to promote learning. By seeing and experiencing the concepts, the students can make real connections and retain more. They can begin to apply what they are seeing and learning in their everyday life as they interact in society.


 * __**Shared Reading**__

Shared reading can be a good way to promote vocabulary knowledge and comprehension. By encouraging strategic thinking before, during and after the reading, you can promote greater comprehension and understanding of the text. During pre-reading, you can identify target words and have the students use them in sentences to guess what the text might be about. During reading you can point out these words and their context. After reading you can re-examine the words and concepts and have the students form more sentences using the words in context to re-enforce their meanings and usage in that context. Another effective method is to use the cloze method and give contextual clues. By giving the students a sentence and leaving key words blank, they can use their knowledge of the context to provide some words to fill in the blank. This can also uncover synonyms and other words that can mean the same thing. It can also highlight words that mean one thing in one context but mean entirely something else in a different context. You can also employ repeated readings of short texts to encourage comprehension of the key words in that context. By repeatedly reading these individually or as a group or class, the students can begin to understand the use of words in context and begin to make the connection in other readings as well. Another point shown to be effective when reading to with a class; is to use our body language to express the different tones and moods in the text. This can be a good visual aid for the students to understand the context even more while listening to and reading the text. Some words are written to describe the mood of the characters or paint a picture for the reader. By using body language and emphasizing these points in to the class, they can better understand the tone of the text.


 * __**Group Work (Collaborative Writing, Group Reading, Etc.)**__

Group work can be one method to ease some anxiety and promote participation among ELL students. The students can collaborate and assist each other on projects or activities. The teacher can provide the guidelines for the group work and then observe and assist if needed. More advanced students or specialists can be included in the group to scaffold the learning and progress of the less advanced students. It can also help if the students are allowed to pick the topic or concept of their group work so they have a vested interest in it and are motivated to participate.


 * __**Journals and Student Portfolios**__

A couple of good methods for tracking the ELL student’s progress are class journals and student portfolios of their work. To the student, the portfolios and journals are a way for them to keep track of their achievements progress giving them some pride in their learning. The teacher can review them periodically to accurately gauge the student’s level of understanding and progress. Many ELL students may not speak up in class and participate at first and they may not receive a fair assessment of their English language level. By getting to know the student through their journals and portfolios, you can really find out where they are and what they need additional help with. These portfolios can be used to show the parents of the students how their child is progressing in school. They can also be used to supplement the traditional assessment tests to give a clearer picture of the ELL student’s true level of comprehension and fluency.


 * __**Understanding the Students (Background, home life, etc.)**__

Teachers today really need to get to know the students as well as their background, home life and other circumstances that may affect their learning. Knowledge of the ELL student’s culture and home life can give some insight to their behavior in the classroom. Teachers of ELL’s would benefit to learn from the student what the student already knows about the English language so they know where to begin. By finding topics and lessons that are of interest to the students, they may be more motivated to engage in the classroom activities. Another key strategy is to try to capitalize on the students linguistic and cultural strengths. There has been much research that suggests that encouraging the use of the students’ native language can help encourage ELL participation and reduce their anxiety levels. It may also help to have the native English speaking students learn some of the other languages present in the class to even the playing field for ELL students. Allowing the students to use their native language to scaffold their English learning has been shown effective.


 * **__Using Humor and Fun in the Classroom__**

By using some humor and fun activities in the classroom, you can relieve some stress for the students and maybe even for the teachers. Using humor can be a fun way to introduce idioms and adages of the English language to the students. Humor can be a way to break the ice and let the students know it is okay to participate and have fun while learning.


 * **__Closing Summary__**

These examples above are but a few of the strategies available today to assist teachers in educating ELL’s. There are many more strategies and methods out there and there are surely some that have not been developed yet that may be some day. It takes the hard work of dedicated teachers and educators to ensure the success of ESL students. There are many factors that determine the quality of the ESL instruction in our schools today. While there may be challenges with funding in many cases, the main factor to ensure the students success is the teacher. It is beneficial if the teacher is dedicated to their job and is willing to develop caring relationships with the students and at the same time setting high standards and working to help students achieve these standards.

The following quote kind of sums up the role of the teachers in educating all students.

“Excellent teachers put students first, help each student meet high expectations, and advocate on behalf of students and families. They interact with their students and ask questions that enable them to understand students’ thinking. They keep learning, and they relate course content to students’ lives. Most important of all, effective educators truly believe //all// children can learn.” (Sara Fry & Kim DeWit, 2010)

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 * __**References:**__

Kesler, T. (2010). Shared Readingto Build Vocabulary and Comprehension. //Reading Teacher//, //64//(4), 272-277. doi:10.1598/RT.64.4.5

Vacca-Rizopoulos, L., & Nicoletti, A. (2009). Preservice Teachers' Reflections on Effective Strategies for Teaching Latino ESL Students. //Journal Of Latinos & Education//, //8//(1), 67-76. doi:10.1080/15348430802466829

Fry, S. (2010). Once a Struggling Student.. //Educational Leadership//, //68//(4), 70.

Moore, David W. "Equipping adolescent English learners for academic achievement: an interview with Susana Dutro and Ellen Levy." //Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy// 55.4 (2011): 339+. doi: 10.1002/JAAL.00041

Lombardi, J. (2008). Beyond Learning Styles: Brain-Based Research and English Language Learners. Clearing House, 81(5), 219.

Preparing Mathematics and Science Teachers for Diverse Classrooms: Promising Strategies for Transformative Pedagogy. By: Butler, Malcolm B., Journal of Negro Education, 00222984, Winter2007, Vol. 76, Issue 1

Bikowski, D., Boggs, J., & Kessler, G. (2012, February). Collaborative writing among second language learners in academic web-based projects. //Language, Learning & Technology//, //16//(1), 91+. Retrieved from []

Buehl, M. (2009). Exploring Teachers' Beliefs About Teaching Knowledge: Where Does It Come From? Does It Change?. //Journal Of Experimental Education//, //77//(4), 367.

Rance-Roney, J. (2009). Best Practices for Adolescent ELLs. //Educational Leadership//, //66//(7), 32.

Minchew, S. F. (2008). Techniques for Using Humor and Fun in the Language Arts Classroom. //Clearing House//, //81//(5), 232.

Freeman, D. E., Freeman, Y. S., (2011). //Between Worlds: Access to Second Language Acquisition. (3rd ed.).//Portsmouth,NH: Heinemann

Peregoy, S. F., Boyle, O. F., (2008). //Reading////, Writing and Learning in ESL.// (5th ed.).Boston,MA: Pearson

Reiss, J., (2012). //Content Strategies for English Language Learners: Teaching for Academic Success in Secondary School.// (2nd ed.).Boston,MA: Pearson