How to plan for EL students

Regardless of whether you serve ELs or not, planning is an essential part of all instruction. If we want to accomplish a particular objective, we need a strategy. This is even more important for our ELs. Below are three simple steps to help you start preparing EL instruction in your classroom.  

1. Find out who your English Language Learners (ELs) are. 

The first step is to recognize the English students in your classroom. You will find out in a lot of ways. You could have an ESL facilitator or Academic Support Teacher on campus who will provide you with a list of the ELs in your class, depending on how your campus is set up. It's important that you are mindful of all EL students in your classes, as well as those whose parents have waived or refused services. I co-taught in a classroom a few years ago where we had a student whose parents had waived/denied ESL services. To succeed in class, the student required scaffolding and accommodations because he struggled with academic language. Clearly, the child will receive the assistance needed just as any other person would.

2. Find out as much as you can about them. 

This is a big one! It's more than just a list. It entails getting to know them thoroughly. When did they last go to school? Did they go to school on a daily basis? In their native language, how much language and literacy do they have? Is the alphabet of their native language identical to ours? How much English do they have? How long have they lived in the United States? Is it just them or are they followed by family? How enthusiastic are they about learning English? After school, how do they spend time with their families? What are their passions and hobbies? The answers to these questions can show how you can assist them in improving their English skills. Language exams are available everywhere. If that knowledge is usable, it would be extremely useful. Formative evaluations, standardized assessments, and oral proficiency tests can all be used to direct your work with ELs. The best part is that it encourages relationship growth. Your ELs would want to do better if they believe you truly care about them and want to get to know them. 

3. Incorporate details about your ELs into your lesson plans. 

Now that you know who your ELs are, you can use what you've learned to make their learning more interesting and engaging. Culturally sensitive teaching integrates the lifestyles of the students into everyday lessons. Students take control of their learning and participate as they make associations and assume that what they are learning is important to them. The use of the necessary scaffolds and accommodations for your ELs will be crucial here. An EL who is just starting out would need different help than an EL who is more advanced. They both, however, need special accommodations to advance their language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Accommodations are not necessary for Intermediate and Advanced High ELs, contrary to popular belief. They do, in reality. They, too, need particular assistance to propel them forward. They will stabilize and remain at those levels for much longer than necessary if we do not aim and prepare for them. Another misunderstanding is the sequence of events: schedule, instruct, and record the accommodations used. In fact, we should look into the necessary accommodations, plan ahead, and teach. What is the reason for this? We design intentional scaffolds for our students based on their language proficiency levels when we begin by evaluating the accommodations that are needed. We are not considering our students in the other scenario. Accommodations are made on the spur of the moment. Although it's true that a whim can work out, it's not the most effective way to teach our ELs.