Use Tabata in the classroom to improve mood and focus!

Padlet is a web app that lets users post notes on a digital wall. The uses for this site in the classroom are virtually endless!There’s a good chance

I have many themes to go along with my teaching. I like to make sure that my students are engaging in what they are learning and I do this with themes.

Do you use card sorts in your science classroom? I like using them with my middle school students. Card sorts can be used in a variety of ways. They are a great way to see what students know going into a new unit. They can be used to practice new concepts. Or they can be used to review material your students haven't worked with for awhile. My seventh grade science students always enjoyed card sorts, and we especially used card sorts during our physical science unit. We brought out card sorting activities for elements, compounds, and mixtures; homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures; the changes in states of matter; and physical and chemical changes. My students liked card sorts because they could work together with classmates while they classified the cards. It felt like a game. I liked the card sorts because they allowed me to meet the needs of all the students in my class. The card sort was great for my many ELL students because each card had both words and pictures. The kinesthetic learners benefited as well because they could move and arrange the cards. The advanced students could provide rationale for each of their classifications or create their own examples to add to the card sort. Students who needed more practice with the content could work with partners who could explain the material while sorting the cards. Another thing I liked about using card sorts in my classroom was the versatility. The activity could take as little as five minutes by having students quickly sort the cards and checking their answers. Or the activity could last up to forty-five minutes, which allowed for students to record their answers, explain and defend their classification choices, and answer reflection questions. It was also flexible because it could be used as a unit introduction, a way to practice new material, a quick check of understanding, or a review. The activity could easily turn into a fun class competition by seeing which group correctly sorted the cards the quickest. Take a look at the many different card sorts I have used with my seventh grade science students. Physical and Chemical Changes Card Sorting Activity Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Mixtures Card Sorting Activity Elements,Compounds, and Mixtures Card Sorting Activity Changes in States of Matter Card Sorting Activity Measurement in Science Card Sorting Activity Steps of the Scientific Method Card Sorting Activities Genetics Vocabulary Card Sorting Activity Thank you ELA Buffet and Desktop Learning Adventures for arranging and including me in this Smorgasbord! An InLinkz Link-up An InLinkz Link-up

¿Quién tiene la razón? ¿Cómo es posible que los dos tengan razón? One of the most important tasks outside of language learning that world language teachers face is to make our students aware of the…

Simple and fun classroom management expressions used by seasoned educators. Some are silly. Others very direct. All are highly effective.

I love spring time in Kindergarten! Everything is clicking away with my kiddos and we are reading , writing sentences , adding , subtracting , and so much more . It is so much fun to be a part of. Take a peek at what we are doing in kindergarten this month, and enjoy the April F

Figurative Language Anchor Chart - Professionally Printed on Heavy-duty Polyester Material with Grommets Foldable for Easy Storage Stain Resistant (Protected by Scotchguard) Ready to use in the classroom from year to year (machine washable) Contact Seller for custom Anchor Chart Designs (any topic/standard) Hard Goods (This is not a download - The item ships to you.) *****FREE SHIPPING PROMOTIONS APPLY TO DOMESTIC ADDRESSES ONLY***** * 3 YEAR PRODUCT QUALITY GUARANTEE! *We will replace any Anchor Chart 3 years from the date of purchase that: * FADES * DISCOLORS * FAILS DUE TO WORKMANSHIP

Colour ws: Students have to answer some questions Grammar points: There is /there are, have/has got, present continuous tense.Jobs, sports, food and drink,clothes vocabulary. - ESL worksheets

This Reading Comprehension Worksheet - April Fool's Day is for teaching reading comprehension. Use this reading comprehension story to teach reading comprehension.

Poetry can be tough to teach especialy online. Using fun poetry activities and sketch notes can make poetry come alive again!

April is nearly here and we are geared up for some fun spring-filled learning! This month we are keeping it rigorous and FUN! The following April

A great Spot the Differences picture! With mine, first I put the pictures up and play 'Splat!'. Then I give out the pic and they circle the differences. Next - Which picture? Then, a few comparisons (as on p.2). Then, it's their turn. I leave them with just the pictures. Beginners have to write 10 words; the others can write full sentences. Any advanced students can make up a story about the picture. I have included a little word scramble ex and T or F. KEY INCLUDED. - ESL worksheets

Hi, it's Teresa from Fun in K/1! I was just stopping by to bring you a great freebie to use to assess student knowledge of comparing sizes. It is also great practice for everyone's favorite standardized tests coming up. I know this seems like a super easy lesson to teach, but it can be a bit difficult with the different vocabulary involved. Click here to come over and download this free.

Doesn't just focus on "what" kids learn, it focuses more on "how" kids learn best... Knows the difference between something that is hard, and something that is rigorous... Makes learning both relevant and meaningful... Recognizes we're preparing our students for a world that doesn't yet exist using technology that hasn't yet been invented to solve problems we haven't even thought of... Embraces the notion that education should be done "with" our students, rather than "to" our students... Provides opportunities for students to explore, discover, create & experience failure... Accepts that the world is a playground for learners, and learning can no longer be contained to the four walls of a classroom... Understands that you can't be "data-driven" unless you actually make adjustments and modifications to your instructional practices as a result of that data...

This post contains affiliate links. Positional Words are some of those concrete concepts that students need to be familiar with. They are a part of our every day vocabulary, especially in the classroom! “Sit beside her.” “Line up behind the door.” “Walk in front of the building.” These are just a few phrases I can ... Read More about Positional Words FREEBIE

April is nearly here and we are geared up for some fun spring-filled learning! This month we are keeping it rigorous and FUN! The following April

This board game practices opposites. Instructions for the teachers are included.The series board games should be a funny, playful way to practice vocabulary and grammar orally. The instructions for the teachers are included.You can play this game with all kind of elementary students.If you like this game, you can find more board games here:https://en.islcollective.com/mypage/my-creations?search_key=Board+games&type=printables&option=published&id=5163&grammar=&vocabulary=&materials=&levels=&studentTypes=&skills=&languageExams=&dialect=&functions=&page=1&sorting_type=most_newest&filter_type=filter_all&view_type=list&view_length=12 - ESL worksheets

Let's be real, planning weekly lessons in the ESL classroom can be an overwhelming task. Factors include caseloads and the sheer number of students/small groups serviced. Also, heterogenous groupings with a variety of language levels make it difficult to target specific language needs of students. Perhaps you're a new teacher and simply haven't had the guidance yet on planning ESL lessons. Here are a few tips to help make planning less stressful. ESL instruction is often vague because, in most cases, there's no curriculum to follow or even to guide. We are left to our own devices to plan and provide lessons for our students that build language skills in the four language domains of listening, reading, speaking and writing. That alone can make planning overwhelming. Tie in grade level content and setting language goals, and it's a LOT to consider! Let's start with a few pre-planning tips. These will support successful lesson planning. PRE-PLANNING TIPS 1- Lesson Planner Book It's really important to have a place to keep all things planning in one place. I don't know where I'd be without my lesson plan book. Things I keep in my planner in addition to lesson plans are: 1- Student lists with ELP levels broken down by each domain, 2- The curriculum my students are learning in their gen ed classrooms so that I can integrate my ELD lessons with the grade level content whenever possible, 3- A calendar to keep me on track with events that impact my instructional schedule, such as meetings and testing, 4- Language goals and data collection to track student progress. There are some really awesome print and go planners, as well as digital planners out there. Find one that suits your needs AND brings you joy. :) 2- Know Your Students One of our main goals is to take students from their current language proficiency level to the next level. Knowing students and their needs is critical to planning appropriate lessons. Students have an English Language Proficiency (ELP) level, but what does that mean exactly? So, my student has an ELP level 3, but what can she do in each language domain? I won't know what to teach her if I don't know the starting point for her. Look at the breakdown of all 4 language domains and identify the weaker domains for each student. Keep this information in your plan book, or somewhere easily accessible. This is valuable information, but it's a very small piece of data. More importantly, I need to know what my students can do right now. Their latest scores might be 6 months old, so I want to also gather current data. Assessments I give at the beginning to determine starting points: phonemic awareness (newcomers) phonics writing (give a prompt that students have plenty of background knowledge) reading I need to know what level of reading I can expect from students, not just with decoding, but more importantly comprehending. For writing, if my student is a newcomer with little to no English, I want to see a sample of their writing in their native language. This will give a lot of information about the literacy skills new students bring to the table. Once I know what my students CAN DO, I can then plan targeted ELD lessons to meet their language and literacy needs. Without this information, I'd be trying to hit a target in the dark, and that's not servicing the students or myself. 3- Student Placement in Small Groups Each small group, in my opinion, should be homogeneous. I group students according to needs, not necessarily by ELP level, although generally it works out that most level 3 students, for example, have similar needs, but not always. Grouping students with similar needs is key to targeting the skills they need to move from one level to the next. OK, I've got my plan book, my student data and my small groups identified by need. Now what? Tips to Make Lesson Planning Less Stressful 1- Consistent Weekly Activities Incorporate consistent activities that target your students' needs, preferably that don't require planning time, and add them in your plan book every week. For example, I go through my plan book and add "phonics" to certain days for certain groups each week, so that's one less thing I need to plan. I have all the phonics materials on hand, so I simple print out and copy what I need and go. I also do an Idiom of the Week activity and a "Friday Focus on Grammar" for other groups. Those automatically go into my lesson plan book each week as well! Several of my groups have a warm-up activity when they first come into my room. The activity takes about 5-10 minutes, but that's another chunk of time I don't need to plan. My level 1s and 2s have an irregular sight word booklet, and my level 3s and 4s have a Restate the Question writing prompt. Irregular Sight Words - Warm Up Activity Finding consistent and meaningful weekly activities to add to your plan book cuts down on planning time. Other examples of weekly activities: -Grammar lessons (so many possibilities- What do YOUR students need?) -Vocabulary - multiple meaning words, synonyms/antonyms, shades of meaning words, content vocabulary, affixes, thematic monthly vocabulary, etc. -Idiom of the Week -Word Work - Affixes is a great focus area! -Read Alouds -Let's Talk! -oral language activities (purposeful oral language development is so important) One of my favorite "Let's Talk!" activities is projecting a picture and having students talk about what they see happening. It could be content related or simply an interesting photograph. An awesome resource for this is Chuck Dillon's website. He's such a fantastic illustrator! Each picture has tons of action, which means there's never a shortage of things to talk about. Pick a couple of "Weekly Activities" and plug them into your plan book each week. Here's a blog post that shares "3 Weekly Activities that Do Not Require Planning." 2 - "Go-To" Activities These are helpful to have on hand whenever you feel unsure about what to plan next, or you just need a meaningful "filler" lesson. We all need those from time to time. These lessons are still high-quality lessons that target the needs of our students, but they don't require planning time. Some Go-To Activity Examples: PWIM with any picture (picture word inductive model) Inferring using pictures 5 Ws and H using pictures Mind Maps Language Games This Build a Sentence activity uses the PWIM strategy to generate words about a picture. In this activity, we use the words to generate sentences of varying lengths. And on this particular day, I also challenged my students to use position words in their sentences. To start, I ask students to tell me something they see in the picture. The students generate the words and I write them on the board in different colors depending on the part of speech. Students also generate the sentences, and I support with grammar, as needed. It's a great activity to have on hand, as it covers many skills and is easily adaptable. They are "one and done" lesson activities that are meaningful AND build language skills. Having a variety of these resources to pull from definitely makes planning less stressful because I know I have language building lessons that I can plug in whenever needed. 3- Language Function or Thematic Units If you know me at all, you know I LOVE planning and teaching language function units. This truly makes my planning less overwhelming. MOST, if not all, of my students across multiple grade levels work on building language around the same language function, so when I plan, I have one LF in mind for everyone. Whoo-hoo! For example, when I teach the language of Compare and Contrast, I focus on that language with all of my groups. I don't have 10 different groups doing 10 different things; they are ALL learning the language of Compare/Contrast, which makes planning SO much more manageable! Some groups might need more focus on expressive language skills while others need more practice with receptive language skills, but I know that the overarching focus for all is the language of Compare/Contrast. Plus, often times I can reuse lessons with multiple groups. Halleluiah! And by tweaking lessons with some additional scaffolds, I can use them with even more groups. This is a huge time saver! Language Function: Compare/Contrast Language Function: Fact/Opinion Each language function unit lasts about 4 weeks; and once it's planned out, there's not a lot of additional planning that needs to be done during that time period. I don't start a new unit until all my groups are finished, so while I'm finishing up the unit with some groups, I use "filler" lessons with the groups that are already done. To learn more about incorporating language function units in the ESL classroom, check out the blog post links below. 4- Reusing lessons is honestly my #1 tip for making planning more manageable and less stressful. And maybe you can't use an entire lesson with multiple groups, but you can use a portion of the lesson. How many groups can I use this lesson with? How can I tweak this lesson so that I can use it with more groups? Those are questions I ask myself as I plan. RECAP: 1- Incorporate Consistent Weekly Activities (phonics, grammar, vocabulary) and plug them into your plan book each week. 2- Go-To Activities (have a variety of meaningful filler activities on hand) 3- Language Function Units (all groups learning the same Language Function) 4- Reuse Lessons with multiple groups! As I mentioned earlier, sometimes the overwhelming feeling of planning comes from the sheer number of students and groups serviced. Or it could be that our numbers are low, but we service 6-12 grade levels. Many ESL teachers travel between schools. There's a variety of reasons that can make planning stressful. Regardless of the reasons, having these tools in your teacher toolbox can help make planning less stressful. Linked below are some of the blog posts and instructional resources mentioned in this post. Teaching Language Functions with English Learners Language Forms and Functions in the ESL Classroom

Understanding and analyzing the behaviors of a child is of the utmost importance for everyone involved. This is easier said than done. Every child is different, even those with the same disabilities and diagnoses. As mentioned in one of my favorite books, Uniquely Human by Barry M. Prizant, all behaviors have purpose. Once a teacher understands the meaning behind the behaviors, she can provide supports necessary for him to be successful. A teacher can do this by using The ABC's of Behavioral Analysis in a Montessori Classroom. The ABCs of Behavioral Analysis in the Montessori Classroom. As part of our training, we were taught the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis. This process has helped us significantly in developing ways for our children to be successful in the Montessori home and classroom environment. A is for the Antecedent What is happening right before the behavior occurs? What was the trigger? Take time to analyze each situation. Break situations down into observable, measurable actions. Record the events leading up to the undesired behavior. If there is no obvious antecedent for a behavior, or if the child responds inconsistently to a specific antecedent, ask the caregivers about behaviors at home. Learn more about the child’s physical, mental, emotional, and psychological state. Sometimes, an explosive behavior may seem to arise out of nowhere because the child is still worked up over something that happened earlier in the day or an event in the more distant past. This information can help the teacher look for warning signs before things escalate, providing time to choose an appropriate response to the behavior. B is for the Behavior How is the child responding to the antecedent? What is the child doing? Once the teacher connects the behavior with the antecedent, she can begin to identify patterns. These patterns can help the teacher decide how to intervene. She might teach a child different coping mechanisms and ways of communication that are more productive. Or she can also make modifications to the physical environment that might prevent the antecedents from occurring. If a teacher is working with a child who is particularly challenging, she can use the ABCS of Behaviors Analysis to chart positive behaviors and learn what makes the child comfortable and happy. Over time the teacher will see patterns that will help her know how to make learning experiences more positive. C is for Consequence The consequence is the way in which an adult responds to the behavior The teacher’s response to the child’s behavior ultimately determines how the situation is resolved. Choosing consequences that help the child meet his needs without reinforcing the negative behavior is key. If the consequence is appropriate, the child will have learned something new and feel empowered to do better. If the consequence is given inappropriately or reinforces the negative behavior, no progress will be made. Documenting the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis has affected our home and classroom for the better, more than any other intervention we’ve tried. If the teacher understands the needs and the struggles of the child, she can develop ways to help him. Take the time to document each time a behavior occurs using our free printable. Look for patterns. Once patterns are identified, create a behavior plan that will help the child be successful. If the teacher can not find patterns and responses that are inconsistent at best, it’s time for further investigation into the emotional health of the child. Reasons for Behaviors The teacher may observe reasons why the child responds to situations in the way that he does. Some of these may include: Inability to communicate appropriately Transitions Noncompliance (The child refuses to do what’s asked of him.) Inability to Communicate Appropriately A child with disabilities may lack the ability to communicate appropriately in social situations. Instead of using words in response to the action of another, he may display negative behaviors. When a teacher observes these occurrences and notices patterns using the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis she can begin to provide resources for the child to help him be successful when communicating with others. As the child learns to communicate effectively, behaviors will diminish and everyone involved feels successful. Transitions A transition is the time between the end of one activity and the beginning of another. A child with disabilities may struggle with transitions, resulting in some pretty significant behaviors. As the teacher analyzes the child using the ABCs of Behavioral Analysis, she can observe where he has difficulties transitioning, and put proper supports in place to help during those times. Supports may include timers, auditory prompts, a visual schedule, and structuring preferred activities after non-preferred activities to provide incentive and reinforcements. Over time, when proper supports are put in place, the teacher will see a decrease in behavioral issues. Noncompliance At times, a child with disabilities may display inappropriate behaviors because he doesn’t want to do what’s asked of him. In these cases, it’s extremely important to analyze what it is he doesn’t like and respond appropriately. If the requested task is something that’s mandatory, it will be important that the response to the behavior is consistent, appropriate, and does not reinforce the noncompliant behavior. If the teacher has flexibility in what’s asked, it’s important to remember that the main goal of behavioral analysis is to help the child be successful. The teacher can alter her request to ensure that the child feels empowered with choices, while reducing his noncompliant behaviors. The teacher may continue to find unexplained difficulties with noncompliance if the child has a mood disorder or a trauma based disorder. In these cases, constant communication between the parent and teacher is crucial. At times medical intervention will be necessary. Once the child is stable, success is possible in the Montessori classroom setting. It just may take far more time than the teacher would like. Behaviors in a Montessori Classroom The ABCs of Behavioral Analysis work extremely well in a Montessori classroom as the teacher is constantly observing the child and following his interests, abilities and desires related to learning. In many instances behaviors improve through simple modeling and explanations. This occurs as the teacher presents Grace and Courtesy lessons in the classroom. Grace and Courtesy lessons consist of instructions on social etiquette, manners, and appropriate behavioral responses to various situations in the classroom as they arise. Transitions are minimal in a Montessori environment, as the child selects his own work and completes tasks at his own pace. Required transitions within the classroom are routine and expected. Experiences outside of the classroom are planned in detail before they are carried out, providing opportunities to address difficulties with transition. Noncompliance is also minimal in a Montessori environment as the child selects his own work. The Montessori classroom supports a child’s need for control over his actions. Tips for Montessori Teachers 1. It is important to remember that a child with disabilities may not remember from day to day, or hour to hour what they are “supposed” to do regarding social skills and behaviors in the classroom. Grace and Courtesy lessons may need to be presented several times. 2. Grace and Courtesy lessons may require visuals and hands-on materials to help the child learn. Once a child knows what to do, applying that knowledge can be extremely difficult. He may require more prompts, visual cues, and/or hands-on materials in order to be successful. 3. The abilities of a child may change often based on issues with sensory stimuli, self-regulation, triggers, and more. A child with disabilities may struggle to generalize skills. Don’t assume that because a child did well with a concept one day, he’ll do just as well the next. That’s rarely the case. Be patient. 4. If a child struggles with noncompliance in the classroom, it’s important to understand why the child is acting out. There are very few reasons why a teacher might run into this issue. Here are a few questions to reflect on. Are works on the shelves boring or too easy? Are the works too difficult? Is the child over stimulated and/or unregulated? Has the child been triggered emotionally in some way? Is the child struggling with issues not related to the classroom such as problems at home, emotional disability, etc.? 5. If a child has been triggered emotionally, preferred activities may help. If not, try time in the Peace Corner with preferred sensory stimuli until the child is calm. If you enjoyed reading this article, you may also enjoy the ones below. Montessori Three Period Lesson Visual Prompts A Day in the Life of a Montessori Family with Special Needs Our Fallback Plan Free Printables Page Read More »

Hey everyone! I hope you had a great holiday and if you’re like me you’re definitely enjoying your time off school. Yes I love and miss the kiddos and have seen some updates about them on FB but I’ve really enjoyed no alarms, comfy clothes, Netflix, organizing my home, and staying up late. The joys ... Read More about Read and Recall Freebie Update!

Free Short Vowel Sounds Worksheet. Look at each each picture and write the short vowel sound. Kindergarten and preschool students can independently

Hello Everyone! I hope you are all having a good week so far! This week in writing along with "showing, not telling," we are also working on adding adverbs to make our good writing even better! I had

Classroom tips, teaching ideas & resources for primary classrooms- Strong focus on kindergarten & first grade

Reading and vocabulary ws. - ESL worksheets

April is nearly here and we are geared up for some fun spring-filled learning! This month we are keeping it rigorous and FUN! The following April

Learn what plants breathe through with this easy leaf & tree science experiment as kids get hands-on with the process of photosynthesis!

Stop taking away recess and using other punishments to control your students. Find success with 10 powerful classroom management strategies!

Follow this link to download a free sight word assessment with worksheet! Includes 70 sight words plus some links to sight word activities

Hello Everyone! I hope you are all having a good week so far! This week in writing along with "showing, not telling," we are also working ...

December is a month of fun and anticipation for the upcoming break! It can be challenging to keep things running smoothly and continue the teaching and learning during this time. Here you'll find ten ways you can keep the learning happening while also remembering minds may be elsewhere.

Reading Comprenhension practice. The topic of the worksheet is the history of emoticons and their use. The worksheet includes three exercises. The last one practises too or enounh, Key provided. - ESL worksheets

The series board games should be a funny, playful way to practice vocabulary and grammar orally. The instructions for the teachers are included.If you like this game, you can find more board games here:https://en.islcollective.com/mypage/my-creations?search_key=Board+games&type=printables&option=published&id=5163&grammar=&vocabulary=&materials=&levels=&studentTypes=&skills=&languageExams=&dialect=&functions=&page=1&sorting_type=most_newest&filter_type=filter_all&view_type=list&view_length=12 - ESL worksheets

Our adorable First Grade Worksheets for Spring are here, and they are loads of fun. Preview them now and get a fun Spring Worksheet for FREE!!