This document outlines strategies for teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) presented by Dr. Shajaira P. López. The top 5 strategies are: 1) Make content visible using pictures, videos and graphic organizers; 2) "Chunk and chew" information by pacing instruction appropriately; 3) Use "Numbered Heads Together" for cooperative learning; 4) Employ sentence frames, starters and signal words to support oral and written language; 5) Focus on what ELLs can do using WIDA's CAN DO descriptors. The presentation includes examples and explanations of each strategy.

1. Tips and Tricks for Your
Teacher Toolbox
Top 5 Strategies for ELLs
by
Dr. Shajaira P. López
9/28/17

2. Agenda
Today we will…
1. Participate in an anticipation
guide activity
2. Discuss the top 5 strategies for
ELLs
3. Ask and answer questions
about education for ELLs

3. Anticipation Guide
What do you know about teaching ELLs?
A
C D
B

4. Question #1
In order to make information visible to
ELLs, teachers should:
A.Embed as many visuals in their lessons
as possible
B. Use visuals for vocabulary words only
C.Use visuals strategically to enhance
comprehension
D.Have students create their own visuals--
it’s more meaningful!

5. Question #2
A key strategy to ensure that ELLs are
engaged in a lesson is to:
A.Not spend more than 20% of the
instructional time lecturing/talking
B. Pace the lesson appropriately
C.Have as many hands-on activities as
possible
D.Provide multiple opportunities for
movement

6. Question #3
How should teachers group ELLs for
cooperative activities?
A.Flexible groups
B. Homogeneous groups
C.Heterogeneous groups
D.They should not be grouped because
they are all at different levels

7. Question #4
Teachers of ELLs should model the use of
academic language in speech and
writing.
A.True
B. False

8. Question #5
What is the most important area teachers
of ELLs should focus on?
A.Reading, writing, listening and speaking
B. Academic language
C.English language proficiency
D.What ELLs can do

9. Top 5 Strategies for ELLs
1. Make content visible
2. Chunk & Chew
3. Numbered Heads Together
4. Sentence frames, sentence starters
& signal words
5. Focus on what ELLs CAN DO!

10. Make Content Visible
1. Pictures to
introduce/reinforce
concepts/vocabulary
2. Videos to demonstrate
processes
3. Graphic organizers to
demonstrate visual
relationships between facts,
concepts or ideas
You can do this by using…

11. Chunk & Chew
Giving ELLs minutes
of information processing
For every minutes
of instruction
You can pace your instruction by…

12. Numbered Heads Together
You can involve ELLs in
cooperative learning where…
1. Students number off
2. Teacher asks a question
3. Students think and write
4. Heads together: share and discuss
5. Teacher calls a number
6. That number answers

13. Sentence Frames, Sentence
Starters & Signal Words
Can be used to support ELLs’
oral and written language

14. Sentence Frames

15. Sentence Frames

16. Sentence Starters

17. Signal Words

18. Focus on What ELLs CAN DO!
Refer to WIDA’s CAN DO Descriptors

19. CAN DO Descriptors

20. Focus on the positives:
Your ELL student is fluent in one language
and is now learning a second language
Instead of the negative:
Your ELL student does not read and write in English
Your ELL student is not at grade level

21. Review of
Top 5 Strategies for ELLs
1. Make content visible
2. Chunk & Chew
3. Numbered Heads Together
4. Sentence frames & sentence
stems
5. Focus on what ELLs CAN DO!

22. Freebies!
1. Agendas
2. Anticipation guides
3. Support oral information with
written text
4. Use activities that involve
movement
5. Simplify your language without
dumbing it down
The strategies I used today are also best practices
for teaching ELLs

23. Questions?
Is there anything you want to know about…
1. Becoming an ESL or
bilingual teacher
2. Communicating with
families of ELLs
3. Other strategies for ELLs
4. Etc.

24. Congratulations, you now know more about
teaching ELLs than most Americans
Thank You!