Reaching and Teaching English Language Learners

"The hardest part of living in a different country is the language barrier. Because you know you have to learn the language in order to survive." – Betina Johnson

Most teachers will agree that building relationships with students can drastically affect classroom performance. As classrooms across the United States are becoming more diverse with increasing numbers of students whose primary home languages are not English, teachers must try to make connections with these students and, if possible, their families. Knowing what students are interested in will allow teachers to craft lessons that engage students and are relevant to them. Larry Ferlazzo, Sacramento, CA high school teacher, states, “When teachers get to know their students, they can make better decisions about the curriculum, instructional strategies, classroom management, assessment, [and] pacing.” In his recent article, 7 Tips for Building Positive Relationships with English-Language Learners, he also gives strategies to build and maintain positive student-teacher relationships. These include the following:

1. Regular Check-ins - Make a point to talk with a few students each day.
2. Reading Student Writings - Students often feel more comfortable communicating through writing.
3. Teachers Writing about the Classroom - “Taking a few minutes to write about the class (whether it is a simple reflection on how a lesson went, how a student demonstrated an exceptional insight, or sharing a few successes and challenges from the week) and then sharing this writing with the class can increase trust and respect between the teacher and the students.”
4. Teacher/Student Letter Exchange - This provides both a way to connect and learn more about your students as well as provide a writing sample that can be used to monitor growth.
5. Weekly Reflections - Teachers can stay connected to students by having them write a weekly reflection. This reflection could simply be a journal or responses to questions.
6. Evaluations - Asking students to complete anonymous evaluations can help build trust between the student and teacher.
7. “Talking and Walking” - If time and schedule allows, take a brief 5 minute walk with a few students each week. This provides a comfortable environment and another opportunity to connect.

These are just a few ways to connect with your ELL students. Pepper’s ELL courses, Constructive Classroom Conversations for K-5, 6-8, and 9-12, will help teachers facilitate meaningful conversations in the classroom. The overall goal is for participating educators to better understand student-to-student classroom discourse and use what they learn to facilitate higher quality interactions that build disciplinary knowledge and skills.