Of Course, Some Practical Ideas and Strategies

     Of course, I couldn't leave this blog without providing some practical ideas that you may want to use in your classroom. I think the above quote is a great way to think about teaching in general but for the case of EAL learners it is especially important. No two students language skills will develop at the same rate or in the exact same way. Each student will reach benchmarks at their own pace but these are some things that you may want to use to help your students feel comfortable and keep them engaged in their learning!




Language Inventory 

      This activity was done in one of my classes and it was so interesting to see what languages were spoken just in a class of 35 students. The teacher had the students shout out the languages that they spoke, each student had to then come write on the board which languages they spoke and if it was their first, second, third, fourth, etc. language. This was just a quick way that we could look at the diversity that was present within the classroom and have a short discussion about the learning of a second language.

Diverse Imaging

     In our meeting with Shauna, she suggested that a strategy we could use in our classroom was to promote diversity in imaging and work put up on the walls throughout the classroom. This is such a small thing, but if the students see themselves in what is being put up on the classroom walls (a lot of co-constructed work and images) they will take pride in their work and will be motivated to do well so the work that is displayed is their best.

Careful Literature Selection

     This was another strategy that came to us through Shauna. There are so many resources out there that promote and celebrate diversity but being able to sift through all the available literature can be overwhelming. It's not about going through every source that you can and then picking the best one, but making sure that the literature that you use has a clear message or lesson that you want your students to know.

Be Aware

     Having open discussions with your students about how their personal feelings and opinions shape their thinking and the way they approach problems is valuable. Also, being open and honest with yourself about how your personal views and opinions shape how you teach is extremely important. Putting yourself on the "same level" as the students in that respect can make them feel comfortable in knowing that your students may not agree on everything and may not agree with you on everything, and that is completely okay.

Promoting Oral Language 

     Especially with EAL learners, oral language development is so important. Planning activities, no matter what subject area, that allow for some sort or oral portion can help your EAL students feel like they have a place in the project or activity. They may not be at the level yet that they can write or read what their classmates are reading but oral language often develops faster than written literacy, so using and practicing their oral language skills can help them further develop their English and still participate in mainstream classroom activities.