teaching strategies:
We have focused on three categories of EAL/D learners. For more information on teaching strategies, please click below:
Getting to know your eal/d students:
It is ideal for teachers to become familiar with the cultural
and linguistic backgrounds of their EAL/D students as quickly as they can. Teachers could seek to develop a
classroom environment which values, utilises and extends the rich and diverse
linguistic, historical and cultural resources that all children bring to
school through valuing 'students' virtual schoolbags' (Thomson, 2002).
Here are some suggestions for getting to know your EAL/D students:
Here are some suggestions for getting to know your EAL/D students:
- INCLUSION: support an
inclusive learning environment by inviting students to share knowledge of
their cultural heritage and linguistic knowledge, this
will enable deeper learning and ‘intercultural understanding for the entire
class’ (Courey et al., 2012, p.2)
- SURVEY: Hertzberg suggests using a survey to find about your students, as it is a great way to find out more about your EAL/D students. The diversity of the classroom, including the multiplicity of life experiences of English language learners, has implications on planning (Hertzberg, 2012 pp.15-19).
- QUESTIONNING: ‘Further questioning will help to identify EAL/D students and their specific linguistic and educational backgrounds. For example, students can be asked what languages they speak and hear in their interactions with different family members, friends and amongst their community. Inquire about the "school/s they have attended previously… what language/s they used at the school/s" (Courey et al., 2012, pp. 2-3).
Quick and simple strategies:
Here are some strategies that are quick and easy to establish in your classroom:
- Label furniture and other items around the classroom
- Create a personal / visual dictionary containing key vocabulary words with matching visual images and translations into student's first language
- Ensure all writing in the classroom is printed rather than in cursive writing
- Provide visual support by using graphic organisers where possible
- Create a word wall in English and in the students' first language
- Assign a buddy to support the EAL/D student
How to create a multimodal classroom environment:
Walsh (2011) recommends incorporating various multimodal literacy strategies into the classroom, as an alternative to traditional print-based literacy teaching. Some strategies include:
- Interactive WhiteBoards (IWB) for collaborative learning, enhanced research and visual representations
- VoiceThread for online diaries
- Claymation for stop motion animations
- Google Earth for conceptualisation of time and space
- Flip Cameras
- MovieMaker, Audacity, 2Create, 2Publish, Garage Band, Comic life for multimodal activities
- Podcasts
- Kindle or iPads or eReading
- SmartBoard Notebook or Photostory 3 for storyboarding activities
- Wikis, blogs, Facebook, YouTube for social networking
Mind-map of teaching strategies:
Reference:
Coelho, E 2004, Adding English: A guide to teaching in multilingual classrooms. Pippin Publishing Corporation, Toronto, Canada, retrieved 20 September 2014, <http://www.gov.pe.ca/eal/strategies>.
Coelho, E 2004, Adding English: A guide to teaching in multilingual classrooms. Pippin Publishing Corporation, Toronto, Canada, retrieved 20 September 2014, <http://www.gov.pe.ca/eal/strategies>.