In the Spring my district always welcomes newcomers to the United States into our E.S.L. program. Finding activites for these new students is a challenge. Combine your students' natural interest in environmental print with a tour of the neighborhood for this thematic unit. Welcome Spring with this lesson on growing flowers for your young English language learners. Teach students to record observations in a journal as they watch their plants grow from seedling to flower.
Content based instruction and cooperative groups spell success for English language learners.
Understanding the role culture plays in second language acquisition. ELLs need to negotiate meaning through interactions with fluent English speakers. This exchange provides second language learners with corrective feedback and knowledge about how to communicate their ideas. The children in the Yang family want to adapt to American culture, but their parents stick to Chinese customs. Meet Yang the Youngest, Yang the Second, Yang the Third, and Yang the Eldest and experience multicultural America firsthand.