Category Archives: Lesson Plans

Vocabulary Strategies for Teaching ELL Students

Image from Who Are We?

One crucial aspect of teaching ELL (English Language Learner) students is vocabulary development, as language learners need a strong foundation of words and phrases to communicate effectively in English.  No matter their proficiency level or age, having a solid vocabulary base is critical for improving reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

From context clues to word games, let’s look at different ways to teach vocabulary to ELL students so they can succeed in their language development journey! Continue reading Vocabulary Strategies for Teaching ELL Students

Sports Around the World – Spotlight on Sepak Takraw

Sports have a unique ability to serve as a universal language that transcends cultural, linguistic, and societal barriers. A perfect example of this is international competitions such as the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is currently happening in Australia and New Zealand. The event has 32 countries participating and millions of people tuning in worldwide to cheer their nations to victory.

Sepak Takraw

While soccer/football may be one of the oldest and most popular sports played globally, another lesser-known sport, Sepak Takraw, is popular in Southeast Asia but gaining traction worldwide. Like soccer/football, Sepak Takraw is a sport that can be traced back to ancient civilizations and is also thought to have some ties to modern-day soccer/football. Continue reading Sports Around the World – Spotlight on Sepak Takraw

Celebrate World Folktales and Fables Week: Five Fun Activities for the Classroom

Image from Hansel and Gretel

Next week marks World Folktales and Fables Week (March 19-25), a week where we encourage everyone to learn more about the lessons and cultural background of folktales, fables, and other traditional stories from around the world. Are you looking for fun and interactive ways to celebrate in the classroom? We have put together five ways to excite your students about the week!

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10 Easy Ways to Practice Gratitude and Kindness in November

Food, Food, Fabulous Food by Kate Clynes, illustrated by MW

Autumn is the season of giving thanks and being grateful. Whether celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States or Labor Thanksgiving Day in Japan, the idea is the same. It’s a festive time rooted in history to bring people together to give thanks and be grateful. And, since gratitude and kindness go hand in hand, it’s no coincidence that World Kindness Day falls in November as well.

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October is Celebrating the Bilingual Child Month!

October is Celebrating the Bilingual Child Month, providing a unique opportunity to recognize and celebrate the wonderful aspects of bilingualism and multiculturalism. We are offering fun activities,  handouts and more to celebrate this special month!

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Bilingual Book Supports Mindfulness And Stress Reduction

 

Language Lizard is excited to announce its newest offering, Squirrel Monkey, a thoughtful tale about acceptance and the power of mindfulness.

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Multicultural Lesson: The Chinese New Year

In the West, we call it the Chinese New Year. In the East, they most commonly refer to it as the Spring Festival ( 春节 ). Whichever way you choose to say it, this celebration will take place from Tuesday, February 1, 2022, until Tuesday, February 15, 2022. At Language Lizard, we put together a lesson plan to pair with our bilingual book, Li’s Chinese New Year.

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5 Ways Idiom Books Support Virtual & In-Person Learning

Page from Telugu-English edition of “With Flying Colors – Color Idioms” by Anneke Forzani

Our new Language Lizard Idiom Books are a great resource for teachers in virtual, in-person, or blended classrooms, as well as homeschooling families. The Idiom Books come with a variety of FREE activities to share with students and families. Take a look at some of the teaching resources that accompany Language Lizard Idiom Books (available in paperback and eBook). Learn more about the book series and why #IdiomsRock in our previous post.

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Bilingual Story Supports Environmental Education

Page from bilingual children's book The Biscuit Moon

“The sun beats down relentlessly on a scorched landscape where nothing is growing. Buffalo is listless and desperately looking around for
something to eat. Then, one evening he finds a white biscuit in a small
pool of water. But, he is not the only animal to see it and a great fight begins… But all is not what it seems.”

Language Lizard is proud to announce our latest bilingual storybook offering: The Biscuit Moon is a timely and engaging bilingual tale about a distressed traveler – Buffalo – in search of a better life. The story explores the ideas of climate change, cooperation, and the need to share precious resources.

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Using Folktales & Fables to Build Literacy Skills (Free Lesson Plan)

As always, World Folktales and Fables Week arrives the third week of March. What a great opportunity to work on literacy skills with these classic stories! Folktales and fables have near-universal appeal, thanks to their simple story lines, talking animals, and magical scenarios. Here, we offer some ideas for students to improve their reading and writing skills with the use of folktales and fables

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