My goal is to be a resource to you with monthly tips that support you and your English learners within an ever-changing, diverse classroom.

Education Service Center Region 11| ESSA Team Lead | English Learner Support

Email: myocom@esc11.net
Website: https://www.esc11.net/Page/719#calendar13881/20200304/month
Phone: 817-740-7563
Twitter: @myocomesc11

'Tis the season for our surroundings to transform into lights, trees, and magical characters. What is the best way to prepare your newcomers and make the time of year a cultural learning experience?

Teaching the traditions of the United States is important so our English Learners are not caught off guard and understand the significance each time a holiday is celebrated and school is not in session. It is important to eliminate any misunderstandings and embarrassment.

This is also an opportunity to highlight your EL's celebrations and expand everyone's cultural knowledge of the world.

Talk, Read, Talk, Write

1. Pose the question: What holiday tradition brings your family together? (If needed, adjust the question for each grade level and proficiency level.)
2. Make sure the word "tradition" is explained. Use pictures to get the idea across if needed.
   
3. Allow students to reflect and respond on a sticky note or in a journal.
4. Share response with partners or in a small group. If learning virtually, use a digital platform (ex: Padlet) to share responses.
5. Read an article/passage aloud or independently, or watch a short video.
6. Number students to respond to sentence stems that correspond to their odd or even number. Use https://app.classroomscreen.com to display Odd and Even sentence stems and roll the digital dice.
7. Finally, students will respond to the question in writing. This may be done in Google Slides (number slides and assign to students), daily journal, or writing template to be displayed.

This approach is from the book, Talk Read Talk Write, by Nancy Motley.

Explore a list of 30 digital tools for student collaboration during social distancing or remote learning.

Don't miss the ideas for social distancing group work and active learning.

• Texthelp https://www.texthelp.com/en-us/products/free-for-teachers/
• TalkingPoints - Reach all your students' families in their home language https://talkingpts.org/
• Read, Write, Speak https://thinkalong.org
• Make Beliefs Comix https://www.makebeliefscomix.com/
  
• Digital Tool https://www.tes.com/lessons
  
• Digital Tool https://padlet.com
• Promote listening & speaking https://flipgrid.com/
  
• Create class lists, activities, assignments, and assessments https://www.vocabulary.com
• Classroom Screen https://classroomscreen.com/
• Interactive classroom in real time https://www.classkick.com
  
• K-5 Reading Student Centers http://www.fcrr.org/resources/resources_sca.html
• Free Content Power Points & Interactive activities http://www.pppst.com/
• Transform lessons to make learning impactful and engaging, or allow students to create animated products to show mastery https://www.powtoon.com/edu-home/
• Current event articles to promote critical reading, writing, and speaking http://wordgen.serpmedia.org/
  
• English Learner Teacher Support http://www.colorincolorado.org/
  
• Writing Guru Gretchen Bernabei http://trailofbreadcrumbs.net/
  
• Free reading passages & literacy resources https://www.commonlit.org/
  
• 2,000+ multidisciplinary wonders https://wonderopolis.org/
  
• Free reading passages by lexile level and content https://www.readworks.org/
  
• Lead4ward.com http://lead4ward.com/resources/

I am not perfect, so if you see errors or find broken links, please give me grace.

LB 12.09.20