English language learners
An introduction to LEARN NC's resources for teachers and administrators working with students with limited English proficiency.
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Related pages
- Lesson Planning for English Language Learners Using the WIDA/ELP Standards: Online course syllabus: Syllabus for "Lesson Planning for English Language Learners Using the WIDA/ELP Standards," a course that provides ESL and regular K-12 classroom teachers an opportunity to plan lessons using the new NC Standard Course of Study for Limited English Proficient students known as the WIDA/ELP Standards.
- Climbing the school ladder: A challenging task for immigrant Latino students: Teachers play a critical role when helping immigrant children adjust to a new school life. Because immigrants' backgrounds and experiences are so diverse, it is important for teachers no to make assumptions and to get to know individual children.
- Reaching Latinos through social studies: Teachers can help immigrant students feel more comfortable in the classroom by basing social studies lessons on students' own knowledge and backgrounds.
Related topics
- Learn more about English language learners, Latinos, lesson plans, and online learning.
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LEARN NC has a large collection of resources for teachers of English language learners, including best practices articles, lesson plans modified to meet North Carolina’s English Language Development curriculum, and online professional development courses. We are currently developing additional resources, refining the collection, and filling in gaps.
Key resources
- Bridging Spanish language barriers in Southern schools
- These articles from faculty and graduate students of UNC’s School of Education provide background on Latino immigrants in North Carolina, administrative challenges in binational education, and strategies through which teachers can build on what Latino students bring to their classrooms to create a learning environment that meets the needs of all students.
- Reading comprehension and English language learners
- Teaching reading comprehension and helping English language learners are the responsibility of every teacher, but they are also within the abilities of every teacher. These articles provide strategies for building content-area reading comprehension before, during, and after reading that can help English language learners — and all learners.
- A series of three articles by Ellen Douglas.
- Spanish-English picture dictionary
- Developed by J. D. Alexander, this picture dictionary provides a quick reference and communication tool for teachers greeting immigrant children who speak little English. Each page includes a clear photograph or illustration captioned in both English and Spanish. Terms are selected to meet the immediate needs of the classroom, and are divided into sections: classroom objects, places in the school, parts of the body, feelings, family, and common verbs needed in school (such as read, listen, line up, and raise your hand). Additional text-based sections provide translations for asking questions, useful phrases, and high-frequency verbs not easily depicted.
Online courses
LEARN NC offers several online CEU courses for teachers and administrators working with English language learners, covering topics from the general (”crash courses” for teachers and administrators) to the specific (scaffolding content in specific grades). Availability of these courses may vary.
- Browse the LEARN NC Courses Catalog for courses on teaching English language learners
Additional best practices
Looking for self-guided professional development? Our best practices articles are designed to help teachers in traditional classrooms successfully teach students with limited English proficiency. Written by ESL teachers and other experts, they cover topics from reading and writing to cultural inclusion to the practical issues of teaching binational students.
- Find best practices for teaching English language learners
- On the Web: Find websites for teaching English language learners
Teaching the English Language Development curriculum
North Carolina’s English Language Development curriculum is a set of standards designed to meet the needs of English language learners, and it provides a framework for integrating ELL instruction into a traditional classroom.
- About the English Language Development Standard Course of Study
- An introduction to the North Carolina curriculum for English language learners, including an explanation of the domains and proficiency levels of language acquisition.
Model lesson plans
LEARN NC’s standard lesson plan template includes headings for modifications, modified assessments, and critical vocabulary, all of which encourage teachers to adapt existing instruction to meet the needs of English language learners. These lesson plans are designed to include students with limited English proficiency in traditional classrooms by differentiating instruction, and they are designed as models teachers can use to adapt their own lesson plans.
Of course, you can also browse more specifically by grade level.
