ELL Education: Best Practices from Exemplary Schools

This well researched study analyzes how highly effective schools with high ELL populations provide instruction that results in excellent performance in state states.  ELLs in 5 states were examined (California, Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, and New Mexico).
Findings include these characteristics...

• Explicit instruction
• Interactive learning environments
• Collaborative learning for language and reading
• Student engagement in culturally relevant lessons
• Teachers certified in bilingual or ESL or large number of highly trained staff
• Professional development:  effective instructional strategies
• Greatest challenge:  parent-school connections

Read summary findings and obtain the full study on Colorin Colorado website - an excellent source for ELL information of all kinds.

Effective Practices for English Language Learners.  Rivera, David J. Francis, Magdalena Fernandez, Ani C. Moughamian, Julia Jergensen, Nonie K. Lesaux; Center on Instruction. 2010
http://www.colorincolorado.org/research/academic/

Teaching Strategies for ELL Students

This article is a 'must-read' for teachers of ELL students.  It's not just a 'read-only' but videos are embedded that show each strategy in action in 5 areas.  Key to all strategies is integrating language with content.  There are also 3 links to other resources for ELL teachers.

1. Scaffolding Understanding
2. Purposeful Grouping
3. Background Knowledge
4. Extended Discussion
5. Valuing Linguistic Differences. 

Reflect on your own experiences with ELLs.  What has worked well for you?  Share your thoughts in Comments.

5 Key Strategies for Ell Instruction.  Rebecca Greene.  10.25.13.  Tch Teaching Channel
https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2013/10/25/strategies-for-ell-instruction/

Use Games to Engage ELLs - Part 2

This is the second of two articles on games for ELLs written by Larry Ferlazzo & Katie Sypnieski.  The authors point out learning tools of various games, such as Bingo to teach vocabulary and "Sentence Sramble" for grammar and punctuation. Games that require students to make materials is a useful activity in itself.  Please check out the embedded link to hundreds of resources, "A Collection of the Best Lists on Games." 
In your search, you might want to contribute to LEX's recommended online games by evaluating some of them according to our rubric on the intranet.

Using Games in the ELL Classroom, Part II.  Ferlazzo & Sypnieski.  9.26.12.  Education Week Teacher
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2012/09/24/tln_ferlazzo_hull-sypnieski_ell_parttwo.html?tkn=MUVFthQRCPxjawgd7SctPv3FuRgnqfyFYP7R&cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS2

Use Games To Engage ELLs - Part 1

Teaching basic concepts is a fun way to engage ELLs.  Example: Monopoly to teach money and dice to teach odds.  Games contribute to retrevial of information in long term memory.  Interactive games with other students provide opportunites to use all domains - speaking, listening, reading, and writing.  "Using" language rather than "thinking" about language promotes faster development.
The authors name six criteria to judge whether we want to use a game in our classes.  (Similiar, but not the same as our LEX rating system for computer games)
Those of you with ELL students, what games have you played that use all language domains?

Using Games in the Ell Classroom, Part I.  Larry Ferlazzo & Katie Sypnieski. 9.13.12  Education Week Teacher
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2012/09/19/tln_ferlazzo_hull-sypnieski_ell.html?tkn=LRZFJ4c4J11te%2FZQb1gTwEPgV1%2BMB1vudpkN&cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS2

Different Ideas to Help ELLs

Written by Larry Ferlazzo, veteran blogger for Education Week.  The New York Times has published his work.There are a number of articles with many, many embedded links to related research and strategies for ELLs. 
Title I teachers of ELLs:  Highly recommended post!.  Spend some time checking out the links.  Comments please.

Ideas for English Language Learners - Recipes, Travel, Idioms and More.  Larry Ferlazzo. 8.16.12 The Learning Network - Teaching and Learning With the New York Times.
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/ideas-for-english-language-learners-recipes-travel-idioms-and-more/