10 Spring Books for English Language Learners

Spring is a great time to read books about the environment, animal and plant life cycles, and other outdoor topics. For English Language Learners (along with all students) it is important to read books with characters from diverse backgrounds. Try and integrate characters with similar backgrounds as the students you work with so that they …

Spring Teaching Ideas for English Language Learners

It is now officially spring. Here in the DC area we are expecting the largest snow storm of the year on the first full day of spring, but the weather should hopefully warm up soon. Here are some ideas for teaching about and enjoying spring. Learn about animal life cycles Life cycles are great for …

Valentine’s Day Activities for English Language Learners

Valentine's Day can offer a fun way to teach students about kindness and helping others. It be used thematically with language activities. Here are some ideas for integrating Valentine's Day themes into lessons for English Language Learners. Kindness cards Have students write about their classmates. They can write one nice fact about each classmate. Set …

10 Winter Books with Diverse Characters by Diverse Authors

Exposing students to diverse books is important for building a classroom community where all children feel welcome and valued. Seeing themselves in the books they are reading is extremely important. Additionally students benefit from reading about characters that are different from them. Reading books that are written by authors of diverse backgrounds is also important …

Thanksgiving Tips and Activities for English Language Learners

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to integrate American culture into lessons. Some ELL learners will have celebrated Thanksgiving their entire life.  These students will be able to share their family's traditions around the holiday. Other students will have never experienced the holiday before and will benefit from a basic overview of what the holiday is. …

7 Thanksgiving Read Alouds for English Language Learners

7 Thanksgiving Read Alouds You can use read alouds as a way to build students background knowledge of the history of Thanksgiving and learn about how people celebrate the holiday today. Many of these books can be integrated into language arts lessons on main idea, vocabulary development, story elements, sequencing, compare and contrast, and point …

Halloween Tips and Activities for English Language Learners

Halloween is a holiday that many children look forward to each year. For ESOL students that are newcomers they may not have experienced Halloween in the past or celebrated it in a much different way. These students will benefit from a basic explanation of what the holiday is and different ways that it is celebrated …