Category Archives: Teacher Resources

Classroom, Dual Language, ELLs / DLLs, Lesson Plans, Teacher Resources

Vocabulary Strategies for Teaching ELL Students

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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 →

Classroom, Dual Language, Lesson Plans, Multicultural, Schools, Teacher Resources

Sports Around the World – Spotlight on Sepak Takraw

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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 →

Classroom, ELLs / DLLs, Multicultural, Refugee and Immigrant Resources, Schools, Teacher Resources

Getting Your Bilingual Classroom Ready for Back to School

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Whether your first day of school is in August or September, it’s never too early to get your classroom ready for the new school year. While working through your classroom preparation checklist, remember the importance of having a welcoming classroom for all students, especially those learning English for the first time. With schools in the U.S. continuing to change to reflect our country’s increasing cultural diversity, creating an atmosphere that reflects acceptance and diversity right from the start is essential. (Check out our blog post about 5 Back to School Tips – Bilingual & Multicultural Classrooms.)

Continue reading Getting Your Bilingual Classroom Ready for Back to School →

Classroom, Dual Language, Language Lizard Announcements, Teacher Resources

New Bilingual Book Explores Patience and Sweet Rewards

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Language Lizard is excited to announce our newest offering, When Nani, When? This bilingual book is a sweet tale in which a young girl learns that patience has delicious rewards.

Continue reading New Bilingual Book Explores Patience and Sweet Rewards →

Dual Language, ELLs / DLLs, Families, Multicultural, Schools, Teacher Resources

Bilingualism is a Superpower!

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That’s right, being bilingual is a superpower!

In fact, Miguel Cardona, US Secretary of Education, stated that “bilingualism and biculturalism is a superpower” during his recent address at the National Association for Bilingual Education’s (NABE) 52nd Conference. Continue reading Bilingualism is a Superpower! →

At Home, Classroom, Dual Language, ELLs / DLLs, Families, Libraries, Multicultural, Schools, Teacher Resources

Engaging Bilingual Book Recommendations for Summer Reading

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With the weather beginning to warm up and the end of the school year in sight, it’s a great time to start thinking about activities to keep the kids engaged and learning during the long summer days and prevent the dreaded “summer slide.”

                                                                           Image from The Three Little Howlers

Continue reading Engaging Bilingual Book Recommendations for Summer Reading →

Book Reviews, Holidays, Multicultural, Teacher Resources

It’s a Wrap: Multicultural Children’s Book Day and Bilingual Sports Book Reviews!

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Congratulations to Multicultural Children’s Book Day for celebrating its 10th anniversary! We were thrilled once again to join in the special event on January 26th as a Platinum Sponsor. 

Continue reading It’s a Wrap: Multicultural Children’s Book Day and Bilingual Sports Book Reviews! →

Classroom, Holidays, International Folktale Characters, Lesson Plans, Teacher Resources

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

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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!

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

Classroom, Dual Language, Language Lizard Announcements, Teacher Resources

New Bilingual Books Help Readers Discover Earth’s Diverse Biomes

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Dive into the ocean, trek through the desert, and journey to the jungle with Language Lizard’s new Habitat Series. Each book in the series explores one of our planet’s most diverse biomes: coral reefs, deserts, and tropical rainforests. These vibrantly illustrated and fact-filled books allow readers to “visit” these biomes found in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Sahara Desert in northern Africa, and the Tropical Rainforests in Central and South America, to name a few.

Continue reading New Bilingual Books Help Readers Discover Earth’s Diverse Biomes →

Classroom, Dual Language, Holidays, Multicultural, Schools, Teacher Resources

Colors and Chinese Culture

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January is the month of new beginnings, including the Chinese New Year! According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2023 marks the year of the Rabbit, symbolizing longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture. The most popular lucky colors for 2023 are green and blue, while pink and red are also very lucky. (Check out this Language Lizard blog post for ways to celebrate the Chinese New Year.)

In this guest post by Daniel Nalesnik, founder of Hack Chinese, we look at the symbolic meaning of colors in Chinese culture while delving into the connection between color and the Theory of the Five Elements. 

Continue reading Colors and Chinese Culture →