There is a big difference in how the ELL brain learns to read and write compared to native speakers. Reading and writing are the two most difficult domains for our ELL students. It makes it even more challenging for those students when we are using materials that were designed for native English speakers, not ELLs. In today’s episode, I’ll share some of the mistakes we make while teaching reading and writing to our English language learners and what we can do to better support them and build a s...
May 06, 2022•29 min•Ep. 21
“There’s a slight bias towards the Asian population being more identified [as gifted]. It goes back to being open from the very start and saying, ‘Hey, all of my students could be these high achieving gifted students, but I need to look at all of them with that attitude and set the bar high so they can show me what they can do.’” -Shelley Feliú-Love Today’s guest is one of the most incredible educators that I’ve ever met. I’ve had the opportunity to work with her, and I invited her to come on th...
Apr 29, 2022•36 min•Ep. 20
“I learned by making my own mistakes and trial and error, and that just has kind of been the theme for my career. If it doesn’t work, try it again in a different way.” -Maria Montroni-Currais I love having the opportunity to talk to and interview amazing educators on my podcast and to share those insights and perspectives with you. Today I’m joined by an administrator with an ELL background, Maria Montroni-Currais. In this episode, we’ll be talking about how to connect the 4 language domains to ...
Apr 22, 2022•31 min•Ep. 19
When it comes to language objectives, writing them in student-friendly language and making them visible for our ELL students is so important for them and has a huge impact. With help from today’s guest, you’ll learn exactly how these objectives impact your students and see that writing language objectives doesn’t have to be complicated. In today’s episode, Courtney Morgan shares about language objectives and scaffolds you can use in your classroom to address those objectives as well as some tips...
Apr 15, 2022•37 min•Ep. 18
Do you have a clear idea of what ELL students at each of the 5 language levels are able to do? It can be overwhelming when you aren’t confident you know how to best support your students. In today's episode, I'm going to give you a simple and clear breakdown of each of the language levels to help you get started. If you’d like more support teaching your ELL students, you can sign up for my FREE resource Library of ELL Materials by signing up here. You’ll have access to checklists, strategies, vo...
Apr 08, 2022•16 min•Ep. 17
Imagine living in a war-torn country where there are not enough school buildings because they’ve been destroyed by war, not enough teachers because wages are so low, and many families are living in camps because they’ve been displaced and are living far away from everything that is familiar to them. Just think of the impact this has on children, families, and communities after years and years of this type of crisis that nations like Iraq in the Middle East and in other parts of the world are fac...
Apr 01, 2022•21 min•Ep. 16
How is it possible to build a positive home-school connection with parents of ELLs when they don’t speak the same language as us? We know the power these connections have on our students and how important it is to their success, but how do we practically make it happen? In today’s episode, I'll be sharing tips and tricks to help build those connections so the families of your English language learners feel welcome in your classroom and school. I’ll share from the perspective of my own experience...
Mar 25, 2022•19 min•Ep. 15
How do you connect with homeroom teachers who aren't really interested in working with ELLs and expect you to do all of the work? How can you successfully build a strong relationship with your co-teachers so you can better support your ELL students? If you’ve asked these questions yourself, this episode is for you. With a background as both an ESL teacher and a homeroom teacher, I’ll be sharing my perspective from both roles. I made plenty of mistakes in the beginning and learned a few things ab...
Mar 18, 2022•25 min•Ep. 14
Using read alouds is one of the most effective ways you can reach all levels of your English Language Learners, no matter what age your students are. Read alouds provide opportunities for students to connect with relatable characters and feel welcome and safe in the classroom. With visuals already provided for you, read alouds cut down on your prep work while encouraging your students to make tons of connections so they can better comprehend the text. In today’s episode, I’m sharing the easiest ...
Mar 11, 2022•22 min•Ep. 13
“Students who have pride in their racial background or ethnic background actually do better in school. They feel a sense of belonging. They’re more engaged. Their grades are better. So it’s really important that we instill that pride in those students and really celebrate that we all look different and that’s what makes us beautiful.” - Jenny LaRocque In today’s episode, I am joined by Jenny LaRocque, a kindergarten teacher who is passionate about including diverse books in her classroom and pro...
Mar 04, 2022•24 min•Ep. 12
Schools across the United States are welcoming a record number of ELL students who are new to the country and new to the English language. When you’re working with newcomers, it's really important that you take time to get to know them so they feel welcomed and comfortable in the classroom environment. I talk more about this in Episode 3 , so if you haven’t listened, be sure to check it out. It’s also important to gather background information about each newcomer so that you can understand how t...
Feb 25, 2022•31 min•Ep. 11
Every year around this time, we assess our ELL students using the ACCESS test. This test causes stress and overwhelm for many teachers, but in this episode, I want to remind you that you are not defined by the results of this test. Today I'm going to share why you don’t need to stress about ACCESS testing. Plus I’m going to give you a few ways to truly assess your students so that you can celebrate their progress and you can know what areas they need to work on. For full show notes and more reso...
Feb 18, 2022•20 min•Ep. 10
What pops into your head when you hear the term “reluctant learners”? Finding a way to reach our reluctant learners can be a challenge, but unlocking the desire to learn in these students and helping them reach their full potential is incredibly rewarding and totally worth it. If you have ELL students who just seem to have no desire to learn the language, you’re not alone. Many teachers are facing this challenge right now. In this episode, I’m sharing 3 different ways you can help your reluctant...
Feb 11, 2022•15 min•Ep. 9
It can be tempting to reach for worksheets as a quick way to find something to keep your ELL students busy. I’ve done it myself when I felt like I just needed to grab something quick that would save me time. We know that using worksheets and workbooks are not the best way for students to learn a language. We need to provide our students with experiences and opportunities where they can engage with language right away so it’s not something they dread. So how can you provide these opportunities fo...
Feb 04, 2022•19 min•Ep. 8
Imagine being 15 years old and moving to a new country where you don’t speak the language and being without your family. That’s exactly what today’s guest did when he signed a contract to play professional baseball for the Cincinnati Reds in July 1999. Damaso Espino was born in Panama in 1983. He loved playing baseball, and when an opportunity came along for him to play professionally and continue his education, he courageously walked through that door. Just 2 weeks after signing the contract, h...
Jan 28, 2022•32 min•Ep. 7
How can you have the biggest impact in helping your ELL students develop their English language skills? As teachers, we are pulled in many directions and constantly need to decide where to focus our time and attention. There are two often overlooked areas that we can focus on that will make a big difference in how well our students will be able to speak, read, and write in English. Today’s episode is all about where to spend your time with your ELL students when you’re short on time. I’ll share ...
Jan 21, 2022•19 min•Ep. 6
Whether you are an ESL teacher or homeroom teacher, you’re juggling a lot of things and are doing your best to support your ELL students. Sometimes the lines can get blurry when it comes to exactly what that support should look like. Specifically, there seems to be a lot of confusion around what ELLs need and what is not really that beneficial to them. Some of your go-to strategies, even with the best of intentions, could actually be hindering their English language journey. For example, if you’...
Jan 14, 2022•19 min•Ep. 5
We live in a monolingual society, and, unfortunately, the belief that English is the superior language is what most of our federal and state laws were founded on and still support. Today’s guest combines her love of learning about language and cultures with a passion for the law, and she is on a mission to make education more equitable for our ELL students. Brooke Boutwell has firsthand experience as a multilingual learner. She knows what it’s like to live in a foreign country as a student witho...
Jan 07, 2022•38 min•Ep. 4
Does getting a newcomer to your classroom cause you to feel stressed and overwhelmed? Having new students join the classroom can be extremely overwhelming to both teachers and students, especially when those students are also new to the language. It can be easy to focus on what newcomers need to learn. However, we have to build trust before students will learn the language. When you spend time preparing for a newcomer’s arrival, you will ensure they will feel supported and loved the moment they ...
Jan 02, 2022•20 min•Ep. 3
Have you ever stopped to think about how scary it is to learn a language? If you’ve ever visited a foreign country or traveled abroad, you may have experienced how awkward and embarrassing it can feel to make a mistake or not know how to communicate in another language. Our ELL students experience this all the time at school. It can be overwhelming for our students to feel constant anxiety and fear around what we may consider simple classroom activities. On top of that, many teachers experience ...
Jan 02, 2022•20 min•Ep. 2
Do you ever wonder if you are doing what’s best for your ELL students? You’re not alone. Many teachers feel lost when it comes to the complexities of teaching ELLs. They doubt that what they’re doing is really working, so they constantly change materials and plans, leading to overwhelm and stress. What is the biggest factor that is preventing you from helping your ELLs have greater success? In today’s episode, I’m giving you 3 mindset shifts that will have a huge impact on the success of your EL...
Jan 02, 2022•17 min•Ep. 1
Welcome to Equipping ELLs! This podcast will empower you to equip your English Language Learners with the important skills they need to thrive in your classroom and beyond. Whether you teach kindergarten or twelfth grade ELLs, you'll hear practical strategies that you can walk away with and make your own. In addition to this podcast, you can find more done-for-you resources at inspiringyounglearners.com . If you are looking for a community of like-minded educators, come join our Facebook group: ...
Nov 22, 2021•4 min
