ELLs in Content Classes. What can the teacher do to help them?

This is a great video from PD360 that has some fabulous ideas for teachers who are not ESL endorsed to help ELLs in their content classrooms.

Helping ELLs in Content Classrooms

According to the video only 1 in 5 classroom teachers who are not ESL endorsed feel prepared to help ELLs in their classroom succeed. What is important for all of us to remember is that a great many of our kids have much acquired knowledge in their first language and are very intelligent. They're smart. They just don't speak English!

Of note from the video:

• Cooperative learning strategies encourage much needed interaction with native English speakers through simultaneous talking which helps them to learn language and the content that goes along with language.
• Use prior knowledge in students' first language to encourage expression of content in English. Graphic Organizers are a great way to help transfer knowledge from the first language to English.

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