Using sentence frames to get ell students writing. Click here for more:
Make word study fun and engaging for your students.
If you're a parent of a baby or toddler, you've probably heard the term "baby signs" or baby sign language and wondered what it's all about. Is it only for deaf children or can hearing
Download these free picture mats to build vocabulary in preschool and kindergarten. These are great for English language learners, too! #vocabulary
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
The best way to help a child's speech and language development is through play. Here are 10 simple activities that you can do at home, including the key vocabulary to focus on, to help develop your child's speech and oral language. The key to these activities is about engaging with the child and using simple, useful language that matches the actions of play. This puts the language into context with what they are experiencing and gives them opportunities to hear, use and practice the language in a way that makes sense to them. Often the simple phrases are repeated over and over again in the same activity which is what you want. The words that you can focus on are listed for each activity under "Language" but you can still use them in correct sentence structure whilst focusing on the key words. For example, "Ball. You have a ball" and "Give ball. Give me the ball please." For more specific information about how to develop your child's speech through play and to hear our personal journey with oral language concerns, see here. Ball Play Materials little ball bowl basket spoon Language (to match the actions) throw ball get ball give ball please (simple instructions for them to follow) ball in basket ball out of basket ball on floor ball on spoon ball fell off spoon pick up ball Pasting Materials Glue stick with lid large sheet of paper scraps for gluing (paper/felt/feathers etc) Language (to match the actions) lid off glue glue on paper stick on paper lid on glue glue on hand sticky hand/ your hand is sticky sticky paper red/blue/green etc paper (saying colour names as they are used) put lid on "Child's name" give lid please (try simple instructions for them to follow) Trucks and Ramps Materials little truck ramp (use hard cover books for ramps) small toy animal that will fit in truck/trailer (eg. dog, cow) Language Go! brooooom! Ready, set, go Go truck! truck on ramp truck go down ramp truck at top truck at bottom "dog" in truck "dog" out of truck "dog" on ramp "dog" on floor put dog in truck (simple instructions for them to follow) Making a Snack Instead of preparing a snack for your child, provide materials for them to make their own snack and then use the language that naturally goes with the processes. Materials Little containers fruit (eg. banana, strawberries) plastic knife savoury cracker spread (eg. cream cheese, peanut butter) sultanas plate Language yummy eat food hungry snack time cut up banana peanut butter on cracker put in container more? you like? 3 sultanas. 1, 2, 3. strawberry on plate strawberry off plate in mouth Pom-pom Play Materials pom-poms basket box plate spoon/tongs Language pom-poms on floor pick up pom-poms (can use simple instructions for them to follow) pom-poms in basket pom-poms in box pom-poms on plate pom-poms off plate pom-pom on spoon "red" pom-pom 3 pom-poms. 1, 2, 3 more all gone tip pom-poms Ring-Ring Materials toy phone Language hello yes thanks ok press buttons ring-ring who's there? bye Mama, Daddy, Nanna, etc. Let's build Materials variety of different blocks (shapes, sizes, colours etc) Language build up block on top put on fall down big tower tall tower very tall put block on (following simple instructions) big block little block "red" block more Animal Tracks Walking plastic animals over clay/playdough to leave footprint impressions. Focus the language on the movements and animal sounds. Materials clay/playdough plastic animals Language (match the actions being used) roll clay squishy clay kangaroo jump/ jump jump jump marks in clay footprints in clay more? snake slither/ sssssss frog jump/ jump jump/ ribbit ribbit lion roar/ roaaaaar animals walk walk on clay I'm a Chef Pretend cooking play using playdough and various kitchen implements. You can roll some sausage shapes etc. to help encourage other actions that allow you for other language use. Materials playdough plastic pot w/ lid plastic frying pan plastic knife plastic plates Language cut "playdough" (or, "sausage/carrot" etc.) roll playdough in pot out of pot in pan out of pan lid on pot lid off on plate more? no more all gone yummy what are you making? Sandpit Play Sensory play is great for young children and for developing language. Children are able to match what they are seeing/hearing/smelling/touching or tasting with the words that go with the sensory experience. This makes the experience very tangible for them. Materials sand plastic bottle with lid spoon Language lid on bottle lid off bottle sand in bottle scoop sand pour sand give spoon tip sand empty bottle sand all gone sand on spoon Handy Tips: - Generally, just asking my child if they would like to play with me is enough to entice them to participate in some one-on-one time, however if they are hesitant (code for, my toddler wants to do what he wants to, not what I want him to) I will get out the materials and start playing with them myself. The more fun I'm having on my own, the more they usually want to join in. - If your child really isn't in the mood for your planned play, I wouldn't force it. Instead, try to find a way to engage with what they are interested in playing and try and use and encourage them to practice the language that naturally comes with that activity. - Read my tips on the best way to approach these one-on-one play times with your child. - It is very important to allow your child time to respond to any questions you ask and for them to attempt to use or mimic the language. Encourage and praise their attempts at oral language. - You will most likely find, during the course of your one-on-one play, that other language (other than what's listed above) naturally occurs due to the direction that your play takes. This is of course perfectly fine. Just try and keep the language short, clear, relevant and useful during this time. Repetition is important. - There are lots of great kids books that encourage speaking and making sounds. A favourite of ours is, "Mr Brown can Moo. Can you?" by Dr Seuss. Happy playing, Debs :) Look where else we are. 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Have you ever thought about using wordless videos in your speech therapy lessons? It increases engagement! Start with these videos...
So you have 100 minutes, but how exactly do you plan and schedule your language arts block for the junior grades?
Free set of printables to go along with Magnetic Tiles. Includes two levels of difficulty. Builds problem solving skills.
Complete interactive lesson on the Satan's temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. Includes links for flashcards, object lesson and sword practice application activity.
Special Education Toddler and Preschool Learning Activity Binder. Fun hands-on interactive learning activities for kids develop basic learning skills. https://supermominfinity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Learning-binder-busy-book-Printables-for-Kids.png
Here is a list of very easy at home activities that you can practice throughout the day to strengthen and improve auditory processing in your child.
What is Oral Language? Oral Language skills are an important component of language development. It is made up of at least five key components (Moats 2010) including phonological skills, pragmatics, syntax, morphological skills, and vocabulary. Students need opportunities throughout the day to practice their speaking and listening skills. For English Language Learners this is particularly important
Learn three simple things you need to teach your ESL beginners right away. These include variations of introductions, classroom surroundings and basic needs
All English as a Second or Foreign Language classes need a good warm-up activity to gets brains working and bodies active. Here are my top choices for ESL and EFL Warm-up games for kids to adults.
Try these 15 awesome language activities with your preschool kids and build their expressive and receptive language while having fun.
This 9-week poetry study guide will take you through nine poems written by Helen Beatrix Potter. Each week (or longer) your student will study one poem.
As special education teachers, there are a few red flags to avoid during an IEP meeting. Here are 10 things not to say in an IEP meeting.
Read 10 great ideas and solutions for solving the lost pencils problem in classrooms in this blog post.
Corkboard Connections is a blog written by Laura Candler who enjoys connecting terrific teachers with amazing resources!
{Affiliate links used.} I am closing out the school year with my Spanish lessons and wanted a way to review the vocabulary we have been working on. I came across on Pinterest a post about Kaboom! It was created for elementary classrooms, but I thought it would be perfect for language learners also! So here is how you go about it: First of all you will need... Jumbo Craft Sticks Sharpie Markers Cups (Not see through) Since I work with a lot of different levels of students I had several categories of vocabulary I wanted to use like house items, the alphabet, clothes, opposites, etc. I decided to color-code the sticks on one end. This helps with two things. Kids will know how to put them in the cup with the colored part sticking out. This allows me to select which sets of vocabulary to use with certain sets of students. For example, I know that the orange sticks are emotions and the pink sticks are foods. {See the final set of pictures for the list I made for myself.} After you color the tips, you write one word towards the other end of the stick. I tend to use about 15 sticks for a vocabulary-themed set. Three of those sticks will have the word "Caramba" written on them. The rest will have vocabulary words you want kids to review. To play the game you put one set (or maybe two or three if you have more advanced students) in a cup with the colored tips up. Students take turns pulling a stick out of the cup and giving the translation of the word. They keep the stick if they can say what it means in English. Otherwise, they put it back in the cup if they don't know. If they pull a "Caramba" stick they have to put back ALL their sticks! I time the game for about three minutes. The student with the most sticks at the end wins! This is a fun way to review vocabulary which at times can be tedious!
All you need to know about Language Development with Montessori. Your essential Guide to Montessori Language Activities & Materials for Kids aged 0-6yrs
Effective ELL teaching strategies with our top 10 tips to support Level 1 students. Includes a free resource to help newcomers...
In this post, I'll teach you how to host a figurative language tasting activity--a lesson that gets kids writing explosive images every time!
Free homeschooling with YouTube - educational channels that can help you homeschool for free with topics from math and scienc to arts and crafts.
Teaching basic concepts in speech therapy - critical to a student’s academic success, being able to comprehend, communicate, and read.
The Unfair Game is a totally unfair twist on Jeopardy that your students will LOVE to hate! Learn how to play and find sample game boards in this post.
Learn about the science of beaches, plus get fun math, language, and geography practice, in this printable beach unit study!
A range of free printable SEN teaching resources used with Autistic pupils aged 4-18, literacy, numeracy, topic and themed resources.
Have you ever wondered if a gifted language arts curriculum could be a good fit for your homeschool even though your kids aren't necessarily gifted?
I am always looking for ideas to shake up my OT treatments and try to get creative with activity tolerance activities, because it is just NOT functional or
If you are doing Montessori at home, this free Montessori curriculum download will be a God-send! Come and take a look!
Are you a new Dual language teacher? Welcome! I hope you'll find this tips helpful! This post may contain affiliate links. It might seem obvious, duh I'm a teacher of course I have to be patient! It is so different when you have a room full of kiddos who are learning a language. You will give directions and some students will give you a blank stare because they have no idea what just happened. Let me tell you, when teaching language learners, you will have to find the patience you didn't know you had. Speaking to a group of kids who are learning a language will not be easy. You will become more and more creative to get your point across. When you feel like you're about to lose it, take a deep breath and remember you can do this! Wether you're a one or two-teacher model, work with your colleagues whenever it's possible. It will make your life easier! It will lessen your work load and you might find a good teacher friend to go out with on Fridays! Plan together, help each other and share ideas. Dual language works better when all teachers are working as a team!! If you're lucky enough to have your district give you a scope and sequence or a pacing guide you've hit the jackpot! Read it! Learn it! Use it! If your district does not provide one, look at your standards and try mapping out one or two weeks. This is also when #2 comes into place, work with your team. Divide up the load and collaborate. I know this might seem dumb but my first year teaching I bought a planner that I didn't really use because I didn't like it. I refused to buy a new one because I didn't want to spend again but I wish I had. Planners are not just about having pretty paper to write with. Your planner will become your bible. Take it to all faculty and grade level meetings. This is my favorite planner. I have been using it for two years now and I love how flexible it is to my needs. I can add pages, folders, and don't even get me started on the cute stickers and washi tape! I know you probably already heard in all your college classes that it takes YEARS to acquire a new language. Your students will not become 100% fluent in a year. The Dual Language program takes time. However, if you stay true to the program, follow the guidelines and don't give up when you're working on a target language you WILL see results and progress. Use visuals, gestures, peer discussions, sentence stems, etc. It will be difficult at the beginning but your students WILL learn the language. Do not be afraid to ask for help. You will need to reach out to someone MANY times during the school year. Veteran teachers still ask for help. No one will think less of you because you are asking for help. I'm also here to help!! If you need help finding a resource, setting up centers or need classroom advice, contact me and I'll be happy to help! If you feel the urge to prepare over the summer (also completely ok if you're not), begin by making a list of the must-have resources you will need in your classroom (word walls, schedule, rules,objectives, etc..)That will give you time to THEN move on to the cutesy wants. Some BONUS tips from fellow dual language teachers: "Lots and lots of patience. They're will be a lot of changes your 2nd year and every year after." - Veronica "Get your hands on the curriculum and study it well. Make sure you have a print rich environment in BOTH languages!" - Janie "Love your students as much as you can! It encourages and comforts them in what can be a very stressful process." - Adriana Good luck! Remember we are here to help <3 SaveSave
Creating adapted books is a lot of work. I found this wonderful website with over 400 free printable adapted books you can download. Read more...
ELL, ESOL, LEP, ELD. We all have experienced English Language Learners at some point during our teaching careers. Learn some strategies to help both you and them be successful!
Past, present, and future.
A colourful poster to show the difference between their, there and they're with pictures and explanations.Includes a full colour, semi colour and black and white.I also have a poster of the same style for Your and You're available here.Idea adapted from Artline AU.
