Equipping ELLs

"Where do I begin with my SLIFE students?" S.L.I.F.E. stands for Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education . In this enlightening podcast episode, we welcome to the show Orly Klapholz of Inlier Learning. Orly and Beth uncover the significance of assessing students in their native language and ways to bridge language gaps by adopting an asset-based approach to teaching. Orly shares prac...

As an ESL teacher, you can sometimes feel like you're on an island. For the next 30 minutes, sit down with a veteran ESL teacher who will impart wisdom and encouragement! In today's episode, host Beth Vaucher welcomes to the show Beth Mailley. Beth Mailley is an English Language Development Specialist currently serving students in grades 1 and 2. With experience as a homeroom teacher, and now 13 y...

What does a language-rich, visually engaging ESL classroom look like? Today, we’re diving into practical ways to set up your classroom for the school year, ensuring it’s a space where ELLs can thrive and succeed. As teachers of ELLs, creating a language-rich and visually engaging classroom is crucial, as it enhances students’ language skills, fosters inclusivity, and empowers them to participate c...

What can you do now to set yourself up for a successful year? Whether you're new to ESL or just wanting to make this your best year yet, this episode covers the crucial aspects of the teacher setup, including lesson planning, paper organization, supplies, and effective communication with teachers and parents. We also touch on the student setup, exploring the significance of thoughtful storage, tec...

Why do you do what you do? What is your goal as teacher? How does it drive the decisions that you make and how you prioritize your time? In this episode, host Beth Vaucher shares her story of how she started her career in education, the newcomer who forever left an impact, her failures and successes in the classroom, and her role as a second language learner living out of her native country. She s...

Teacher, your words have power! Join us as we delve into the power of language with Jen Rafferty, founder of Empowered Educator® . Jen is passionate about the latest research in mindset, leadership, and cognitive neuroscience. In our conversation, Jen shares transformative practical strategies to address teacher burnout, promote social-emotional well-being, and revolutionize your teaching approach...

What is the most effective, science-proven method for teaching children to read? Join us as we welcome extraordinary author and educator, Malia Hollowell, who addresses the dire need for a new way of teaching reading. Learn from her book, The Science of Reading in Action: Brain-Friendly Strategies Every Teacher Needs to Know, and gain insights into making reading easier for both teachers and stude...

Are you feeling overwhelmed and on the brink of burnout? We understand the challenges you face, and that's why we've brought in the amazing Jamie Sears, author and educator, to address the pressing issue of preventing teacher burnout in this episode of the Equipping ELLs podcast. Jamie Sears creates curriculum and delivers professional development for elementary educators through The Not So Wimpy...

Are you struggling to understand and connect with your ELLs in the content classroom? In this episode, Beth sits down with educator, entrepreneur and author Sarah Ottow. Sarah is the founder of Confianza , whose goal is to support cultural understanding, communication, and collaboration through professional learning programs that include tailored coaching, practical guidance, and world-class conte...

As teachers, we understand the importance of connecting with our students and fostering meaningful relationships. We also recognize the challenges that come with it. We welcome to the show special guest, author Emily Francis. Emily Francis is a nationally recognized ESL teacher, serving students in 9th-12th grade with various English proficiency levels. She is a native Spanish-speaker who is origi...

As Summer approaches for both students and educators, it's time to reflect on our journey of equipping ELLs for success. Join us as we celebrate the valuable topics covered in the past months and focus on the small steps that make a big difference. We'll guide you through the "Three, Two, One" method of reflection—acknowledging growth, addressing frustrations, and setting a single action step for...

Writing is one of the biggest challenges for ELLs and teachers of ELLs. Too often, writing is viewed as a product , when it should be viewed as a process . A foundational step in the process is understanding and mastering syntax, or sentence structure . We welcome back to the show Sara Marye, from The Stellar Teacher Co. as we delve into the fundamental role of sentence writing in shaping students...

We all know that teachers are constantly seeking new ways to enhance their students' reading skills. That's why in today's episode, we have special guest, Susan Patterson ( My MLL Mentor ) who shares her expertise on reading support for ELLs . With proven reading strategies to add to your teacher toolkit, this conversation will equip you with valuable insights and practical tips to boost your stud...

Do you find the following statistics alarming? A recent study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress found that only 27% of U.S. eighth-graders were proficient in writing. In the same year, a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics found that only 24% of high school seniors were proficient in writing. Writing can be difficult and often frustrating, even in a person's nat...

Do you want to know why our episodes centered on reading seem to get the most downloads? Because teaching reading to ELLs is HARD ! We've been taking a deeper dive into each of the 4 domains of language. In this episode, we break down the reading domain. Being hooked on phonics may not be the best approach with your ELLs. We hope you'll listen in to research-based support on how to best implement...

Over the course of 4 weeks, we are breaking down the 4 language domains:  Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing . In today's episode, we'll discuss the 4 stages of development in the speaking domain. You'll learn practical strategies to get your students speaking . We'll share tips for your lesson planning so that you purposefully carve out time for speaking. And you'll leave with a list...

It is important to be aware of each of the different areas of the brain that are activated as your students learn English. We need to help our students view their brains as a muscle they are strengthening ! Over the next few weeks, we will be breaking down the 4 language domains: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing . In my opinion, the listening domain is the most important domain to focus o...

At Equipping ELLs, we pride ourselves on giving practical strategies to our listeners in every episode. Along with this, we want to make sure our listeners have the foundational understanding for why these strategies work and how our students learn. In this episode, we go deeper into understanding language theory . The key terms for today are language acquisition and comprehensible input . If you'...

Does the term longterm language learner apply to any of the students in your classroom? What can we do to keep our ELLs moving forward? I am my own humble inspiration for today's episode, simply because I am a longterm Spanish language learner. Having studied Spanish for 10 years, and now having lived in a Spanish-speaking country for 10 more, why am I not fluent?! Listen in for 5 things you can d...

Differentiate instruction. Every teacher has heard these familiar words given a million times.  We strive to accomplish this goal both for the success of our diverse learners and also for the evaluation that follows a dreaded classroom observation. In this episode, you'll learn numerous strategies you can use to make differentiation easy! And you'll leave with a fantastic freebie that you'll...

Modifying is part of the day-to-day for any teacher of ELLs. Sometimes it comes as second-nature. Other times, we wrack our brains: “How do I make this particular content unit accessible to my ELLs?” or “How do I meet the needs of the majority, while still giving adequate attention to the newcomer?” The fact is, you probably don’t have the time to plan OR teach a separate lesson to each of your st...

Are you currently co-teaching, preparing for co-teaching, or maybe just hoping some day your school will adopt this effective model for reaching ELLs? In this episode, Beth interviews guest, Leslie Tomanovich. Leslie is an ENL (English as a New Language) teacher in New York. After years of teaching with the pull-out method, the state of New York changed their ENL laws and required instruction for...

You've learned the pros and cons of a variety of program models, but which is the most effective for reaching your ELLs? While one school may have students in a full immersion program, other schools are using the pull-out approach. It is important to know the different methods available when teaching ELLs, and you may have more power than you realize when it comes to choosing an instructional mode...

Are you a paraprofessional, wondering how best to support your ELLs? Or are you a classroom teacher that knows you are underutilizing the paraprofessionals in your building? We are right in the middle of a series called Small Steps to Success for ELLs! Throughout this series, we are encouraging every person in our schools, from the front office to the cafeteria, to take vital steps to help support...

If you’re a homeroom teacher, the thought of figuring out how to support ELL students in your classroom may be completely overwhelming. I know this because I’ve been there. When I was a homeroom teacher, I didn’t support my English language learners very well. As we are working on taking small steps to make a big impact on our ELL students, I want to share four shifts that homeroom teachers can ma...