English Language Learners in Your Classroom

Course: English Language Learners in the Regular Classroom

The course presents and analyzes the foundations of bilingual education for teachers to be able to understand and incorporate the most relevant aspects in their classrooms. As teachers gain expertise in the theory and methods of second language learning in general, they will learn to recognize the real level of ELLs, both in Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP). In addition, becoming familiar with the way English is taught around the world and ways to access their students’ schemas, educators will gain insights into how their ELLs have been exposed to the language previously and how they are accustomed to learning.

One of the main points in the course is that good instructional practices for ELLs will benefit all learners. Recommendations for an eclectic approach include assigning buddies, cooperative learning, reading strategies, and incorporating the arts to create a learning environment that will motivate all students to reach their full potential as human beings as well as academically.

Course Objectives: Participants will

• understand the needs of ELLs to work with them accordingly
• become more familiar with the situation of immigrants in the United States
• become more culturally aware to create a multicultural classroom environment
• learn how to sensitize English Only students to be able to help their ELL peers
• understand how immigration affects education
• understand the principles of bilingual education to apply them in the classroom
• understand the process of language acquisition
• learn techniques and methods for teaching a second language
• assess ELL students in terms of BICS and CALP and first language literacy
• learn how to individualize instruction for ELLs
• integrate lessons with creative arts in the regular curriculum
• prepare lessons keeping in mind the schema and particular needs of ELLs
• be able to accommodate lessons for ELLs with different forms of scaffolding
• encourage ELLs to read extensively in English
• learn about the specific problems ELLs face in reading in English and helping them overcome them
• learn different techniques to incorporate in content area lessons
• learn how to involve the family and the community in the multicultural learning environment