Classroom, ELLs / DLLs,

BILINGUAL STUDENTS: PREPARING FOR THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR

August 7, 2012

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The start of the school year is just around the corner. Where did the summer go? It seems like just yesterday that we were watching our students head out the schoolhouse doors. Before we know it, they will be rushing back through those doors again. With the coming school year so close, it is important that teachers start thinking ahead to the needs of their bilingual students. Language activities, music, bilingual books and writing materials are just a few examples of resources............. CONTINUE READING

Classroom, ELLs / DLLs,

BILINGUAL CHILDREN: MAKE STORYTIME THEIR FAVORITE TIME OF THE DAY

July 12, 2012

1 Comment

Reading out loud is one of the most wonderful ways we can help our children learn language(s). It helps to build vocabulary (in many languages) and helps children fall in love with literature and the written word. The more we can make storytime a great experience for children, the more they will look forward to reading on their own down the road. It doesn’t take a lot to make storytime a child’s favorite time of day. However, reminding ourselves of some key elements............. CONTINUE READING

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Classroom, Dual Language, ELLs / DLLs,

BILINGUAL BOOKS IN BILINGUAL CLASSROOMS

April 19, 2012

3 Comments

Picture this: A classroom bustling with students engaged in a variety of activities. On one side of the room, the teacher mingles with a group of students who are working on a collage. It is spread out across a wide table and students are discussing, in English and Spanish, where to place the different items. The teacher meanders by, a student asks for some advice in English, and a short discussion takes place. A few minutes later the same teacher approaches a............. CONTINUE READING

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Classroom, ELLs / DLLs,

SPRINGTIME LANGUAGE LEARNING ACTIVITIES: SCAVENGER AND TREASURE HUNTS

April 5, 2012

1 Comment

Flowers are beginning to blossom in and the talk of eggs, bunnies and little yellow chicks is underway. It must be springtime! Students are excited and invigorated by the changing season, so it is a perfect time of year to incorporate activities that match the energetic mood of your classroom. Even though many of your students may not celebrate Easter, they are sure to notice the supermarket shelves lined with plastic eggs and chocolate bunnies. One activity from Easter that is sure............. CONTINUE READING

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Classroom, ELLs / DLLs,

USING MUSIC TO HELP CHILDREN LEARN LANGUAGES

March 5, 2012

36 Comments

Children love music and singing. There is something magical about words being set to a melody that make children perk up and join in. Since most children’s songs consist of catchy beats and poetry-infused lyrics, it is a perfect combination of rhythm, rhyme and fun. An added benefit to children’s songs is that they are often easy to learn. The short, repetitive sentences lend themselves to easy memorization and retention. What better way to learn words in context than to sing them............. CONTINUE READING

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Classroom, ELLs / DLLs,

HOW TO HELP STUDENTS SURVIVE CULTURE SHOCK

February 23, 2012

15 Comments

By Colleen Miller Photo credit: vasta Have you noticed that about halfway into the school year, new ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students, who once seemed excited and energized, seem to hit a wall? Students who once were bright-eyed and cheerful come to school looking listless and detached. More than just the mid-year doldrums, they may be in the crisis stage of the powerful phenomenon of culture shock. What is culture shock? In the 1950s, a diplomat named Karl Oberg first used the............. CONTINUE READING

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Classroom, Lesson Plans,

CHINESE NEW YEAR: LESSONS TO HELP CHILDREN APPRECIATE CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY

January 23, 2012

2 Comments

Chinese New Year is almost here! Chinese families around the world are already celebrating this exciting event which lasts for fifteen days. The celebration begins on the night of a new moon and culminates with the Lantern Festival, a celebration that takes place under the light of the full moon. Families join together in the streets carrying lighted lanterns to create a beautiful light display. Before the Chinese New Year begins, homes are cleaned from top to bottom. The goal is to sweep............. CONTINUE READING

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At Home, Classroom, Families, Schools,

BILINGUAL CHILDREN: 5 TIPS FOR USING LANGUAGE IN CONTEXT

December 31, 2011

12 Comments

There are so many wonderful ways for our children to learn languages today. Online programs offer interactive multimedia opportunities that we could have only dreamed of having when we were young. Bilingual books and DVDs can be found in many libraries around the country, and children’s language learning classes abound. What parents and teachers sometimes forget is the value of context when it comes to learning a language. Flash cards and online vocabulary games can be fun, but they don’t offer the............. CONTINUE READING

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Classroom, Schools,

10 TIPS ON CELEBRATING CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM THIS WINTER SEASON

December 6, 2011

4 Comments

Santa Lucia celebration As the days shorten and the weather turns cold and crisp, families are warming up with their winter holiday celebrations. Candles, lights, sweets and gifts highlight this time of year in many cultures around the world. Although celebrating specific religious traditions is not permitted in most classrooms in America, there is no reason for teachers to avoid winter holidays all together. In fact, teaching about winter traditions can be a wonderful way to help bilingual children, in particular, feel even............. CONTINUE READING

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