Mr. Taruskin is currently teaching ENL and coordinating the ENL program at a middle school in Staten Island, NY. He has a bachelor's degree in Film and Television Production from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in TESOL from LIU, Brooklyn Campus.
From 2002-2004, Mr. Taruskin taught English at various schools in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He taught English to children, adolescents, and adults. In 2004, he returned to the United States to teach English to adults at Zoni Language Center in Manhattan. Since 2005, he has been teaching ESL/ENL in NYC public schools. He has experience teaching students in all grades from K-12.
Mr. Taruskin's first two years in the NYCDOE were spent teaching ESL in a high school in East New York, Brooklyn. The following 5 years were spent teaching self-contained ESL bridge classes (4th and 5th, 2nd and 3rd, 3rd and 4th, 1st and 2nd, etc). All subjects were taught using ESL methodologies and strategies. From 2012 to 2022, he was an ENL (ESL) teacher and the ELL coordinator at an elementary school in East New York, Brooklyn, pushing into and pulling out groups in all six grades (K-5). Currently, Mr. Taruskin is teaching ENL at a middle school (grades 6 to 8) in Staten Island.
Mr. Taruskin has had an opportunity to observe the teaching styles of numerous teachers, and has worked with students at all levels of proficiency. On this website, Mr. Taruskin shares strategies that he has used over the past 20 years. These strategies have proven to be successful when teaching ELLs. While most of the strategies are geared towards elementary school students, they can be adapted for all students. All newcomers, regardless of age, need scaffolds when learning English.
Enjoy the site, and hopefully you'll take away something useful for your classroom.
From 2002-2004, Mr. Taruskin taught English at various schools in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He taught English to children, adolescents, and adults. In 2004, he returned to the United States to teach English to adults at Zoni Language Center in Manhattan. Since 2005, he has been teaching ESL/ENL in NYC public schools. He has experience teaching students in all grades from K-12.
Mr. Taruskin's first two years in the NYCDOE were spent teaching ESL in a high school in East New York, Brooklyn. The following 5 years were spent teaching self-contained ESL bridge classes (4th and 5th, 2nd and 3rd, 3rd and 4th, 1st and 2nd, etc). All subjects were taught using ESL methodologies and strategies. From 2012 to 2022, he was an ENL (ESL) teacher and the ELL coordinator at an elementary school in East New York, Brooklyn, pushing into and pulling out groups in all six grades (K-5). Currently, Mr. Taruskin is teaching ENL at a middle school (grades 6 to 8) in Staten Island.
Mr. Taruskin has had an opportunity to observe the teaching styles of numerous teachers, and has worked with students at all levels of proficiency. On this website, Mr. Taruskin shares strategies that he has used over the past 20 years. These strategies have proven to be successful when teaching ELLs. While most of the strategies are geared towards elementary school students, they can be adapted for all students. All newcomers, regardless of age, need scaffolds when learning English.
Enjoy the site, and hopefully you'll take away something useful for your classroom.