It can be overwhelming to try to figure out what the order of teaching ESL grammar is to newcomer ELLs/MLs. It is so hard to choose where to start with a scope and sequence because many grammatical skills seem imperative for both conversation and writing. They need to know subject pronouns, the verb “to be”, creating the present tense…the list ...
ESL
ESL Grammar Activities: Teaching the Present Simple and Present Continuous Tenses
Teaching the present simple tense and present continuous (progressive) tense is so important for newcomer ESL students. Because every spoken and written sentence has a verb, students need to quickly learn how to use them in order to create a meaningful sentence. The first tense students learn is the present simple tense. This lays the foundation ...
5 Ways to Use Graphic Organizers for ELLs/EL/MLL Students
As ESL educators, our goal is to support English Learners (ELs)/ELLs/MLLs as they develop their language skills while keeping pace with content area learning. One highly effective tool to aid ELs in this journey is the use of graphic organizers. These visual tools provide ELs with structure and clarity, helping them comprehend, organize, and ...
Teaching Subject Pronouns to Newcomer ELs (+ Free ESL Grammar Worksheets and Activities)
Using subject pronouns is key to forming sentences and making the English language flow naturally. This is why one of the absolute first ESL grammar skills that newcomers need to learn is subject pronouns. However, teaching subject pronouns does not need to be boring! It is so important to involve students in a variety of ...
Teaching the Verb To Be in English to Newcomer ELs (ESL)
The verb “to be” is the most commonly used verb in the English language. However, it is an irregular verb in that it does not follow the same grammar rules as regular verbs (in all forms of the present or past tense). This can make it a tricky verb for ELs/MLLs to grasp. Because of the verb’s irregularity, it is important ...
What to Look for in ESL Grammar Worksheets and Activities for Newcomers and Beginning ELs
All too often, grammar worksheets for newcomer and beginner ELs are way too similar in format to grammar worksheets for native speakers. They lack visuals and are just pages filled with language that our ELs may not have yet. Without supports, students just regurgitate a new grammar skill without applying it to exercises that they can actually ...
The Power of Picture Dictionaries for Newcomer ESL Students
The start to the school year for newcomer ELLs can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking. It is our job to set them up with tools to help them feel comfortable exploring a new language in a totally new environment. One of the most powerful tools you can provide a new ELL student is a picture dictionary. Picture dictionaries are a powerful tool ...
DIGITAL ELL NEWCOMERS VOCABULARY FOR TEACHING ESL
Whether you’re trying to eliminate tons of prep time, save paper, or support ELL students in distance learning, using digital vocabulary units can be extremely helpful activities for ELL newcomers. These digital units target reading, writing, and listening (audio) domains. Included are 20 Thematic Vocabulary Units that cover important ...
TEACHING ESL DISTANCE LEARNING: WAYS TO DIFFERENTIATE FOR YOUR ELLS VIRTUALLY
Whether you are virtually teaching, or teaching ESL in distance learning, it is important to differentiate for ELLs just as you would in the classroom setting. Without the face to face interaction of an ELL student, teacher, and their classmates, learning English in authentic ways can be much more challenging. It is important that we keep ...
10 Steps to Build Reading Comprehension in ELLs (ESL/MLs)
It can be overwhelming to prepare a reading lesson in a way that supports English Language Learners' (ELLs/ESL) reading comprehension alongside their non-ELL peers, but it doesn’t need to be. Research shows that best practices for building reading comprehension in non-ELLs also works well for ELLs. Some instructional practices just need to have ...