Age is just a Number!

     So far I have taught two ESL classes. One class was with a 9 year old and the other class was with a 12 year old.  What I have found is that age is not a factor when it comes to reading or learning.  The nine year old read fluently but the 12 year old struggled a bit.  So their reading age does not match their natural age.  Therefore, the sky is the limit when it comes to learning.  Age doesn't have to be a limit for those who want to learn more or go beyond  expectations.  Also, it's important to understand that every child is not on the same level. So, teaching must be individualized to accommodate everyone. What do you think?  Comment below.

Math Language a Foreign Langauge!!!

       I have been teaching math for the past 18 years and I have come to the realization that math language can be quite foreign.  I mean it really is its own language because, we don't use at home in a normal conversation.  So just think what it might be like for young children who at home may count. Mom calls them numbers.  Then when they get to 2nd grade or above a number can be called a numeral, a digit, a value, etc.....  The students then have no understanding of what we're talking about. I know I say it over and over and over. Exposure! Exposure! Exposure!  Of course for the little ones it has to be fun.  Is math a foreign language or not? What do you Think?

It's Never Too Early!

   

       One of the most important tools a 5 year old can start school with is the understanding of phonemic awareness.  It's one of the most overlooked skills by parents and teachers. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that the letters of the alphabet have sounds and those sounds come together to build words. Of course there's more that I will talk about but that's really the gist of it. Without it many students struggle in there first few years in school and it tends to cause delays.  Children need to hear sounds, speak sounds, see sounds and manipulate those sounds. In a nut shell they need exposure! exposure! exposure!  Start early because by the time they start school, they will have some understanding. It's never too early and for that matter never too late to start. Doing nothing creates injustice.

ArtPop!!!!

Total Engagement

 

     So in the ESL/educational world engagement is key.  No engagement from your students opens the door to other problems like poor management. Well there is a quick fix. TPR(Total Physical 
Response is the answer.  Getting my students to be physically engaged keeps their attention.  One way to achieve TPR engagement is through educational music videos.  Educational music videos really tics all of the boxes.  They are fun, encourages movement, has plenty of repetition, and above all they teach a skill or concept.  There you have it TPR for total engagement.

Portrait from a Young Artist

I love getting these everyday from my little one and hearing what she has to say about it.

ESL for Struggling Readers?

 

GETTY IMAGES

      This is just my opinion that I am about to express.  Based on what I have learned so far about English as a second language, I think just maybe some of the strategies used can also be used for struggling readers.  By far English is the most difficult language in the eastern and western world for different reasons apparently.  In America, most of us are not taught the proper usage of English in our first few years of life. On the contrary, we learn the dialect used in our families, by our mothers, fathers, and siblings.  So one could say, for some children English is a second language.  Also, for many children in their formative years they are exposed to the spoken English  language, but not the written English Language. In conclusion, maybe the pace at which we teach struggling readers needs some adjustment.

It's All About the Props!!!

     Teaching ESL is definitely a chance to have some fun with props.  Don't worry you can be creative without being expensive.  Really all you need is a color printer, paper, and a laminator.  You can make so much with just those tools.  Of course if you have young children their toy bin is another
 excellent place to find props.  If push comes to shove, Dollar Tree has a tremendous supply of toys for a $1 that can be used as props.  Props help give a concrete representation of newly acquired information.  This is especially important for young learners to grasp new concepts.  

Why ESL?

     I know as a parent/educator how important it is to see my child learn and hope that she's getting all she can to prepare her for the future.  Well my child is an ESL learner. English is her primary language but she's learning french as a second language. I enrolled her in an immersion program provided through her school.  She learns ELA(Reading) with a English speaking teacher and she learns math, science, and social studies with a French native speaking teacher. So my very own little one has sparked much of my interest in ESL.