If you speak an ELL’s home language, you can use it.
Give instructions in their home language. If an ELL is completely lost, especially at the beginning of the school year, translate key vocabulary words and help them understand the main idea of your minilesson. After you translate a vocabulary word into their L1, have the student repeat the new word in English. Tell them to put the new English word in their personal dictionary. Ask the ELL to include the word in their writing assignments, even if the majority of the writing is in their home language.
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/how-create-welcoming-classroom-environment
A student's home language is a valuable resource, according to Dr. Fred Genesee.
Give instructions in their home language. If an ELL is completely lost, especially at the beginning of the school year, translate key vocabulary words and help them understand the main idea of your minilesson. After you translate a vocabulary word into their L1, have the student repeat the new word in English. Tell them to put the new English word in their personal dictionary. Ask the ELL to include the word in their writing assignments, even if the majority of the writing is in their home language.
http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/how-create-welcoming-classroom-environment
A student's home language is a valuable resource, according to Dr. Fred Genesee.
To translate an entire document into another language, you can visit one of the following sites:
https://www.onlinedoctranslator.com/en/translate_en_es
or
https://translate.google.com/?tr=f&hl=en
https://www.onlinedoctranslator.com/en/translate_en_es
or
https://translate.google.com/?tr=f&hl=en
English immersion with some native language support:
I believe that teachers can and should use native language translation and interpretation as a type of scaffold.
Rationale for using native language support:
A number of years ago, I researched the effectiveness of several ELL programs. I found that transitional bilingual programs always have an ENL component: “[ENL is a] crucial component of all bilingual programs” (Collier et al, 2003: 73). They go hand in hand. More importantly, according to my research, bilingual programs have been proven to be more effective than pure English immersion. Pure English immersion is equal to the sink or swim approach, which goes against everything I have ever learned. Even when I was immersed in the Portuguese language in Brazil, I needed my bilingual dictionary and I needed my friend who spoke English to clarify things. Also, if I hadn’t learned French, I wouldn’t have been as successful at learning Portuguese. I transferred those skills over to my Portuguese education.
Limited-English-proficient students who are provided with substantial instruction in their primary language (40%) successfully continue to increase their achievement in content areas such as mathematics, while they are acquiring their skills in English; in contrast, students who are quickly transitioned into English-only instruction tend to grow slower than the norming population. (Ramirez et al, 1991: 39)
Tatiana Sevillano…. moved to the United States knowing only Spanish when she was eight years old (Tapia, April 10, 2000). Tatiana was first placed in a mainstream (English-only) classroom. She felt disconnected, isolated, scared, shy, timid, and intimidated (Tapia, April 10, 2000). After she was placed in a bilingual classroom, she found that it was “easier to learn” because she didn’t feel as intimidated (Tapia, April 10, 2000). According to Susan Black (2005), a 2002 UCLA study of ELLs in California schools found that “English-only programs ‘predict a very dismal future’ for large numbers of elementary-age students” (page 40).
Research shows that “there is a strong transfer between a student’s primary language and the development of second language literacy” (Goldenberg, 2010).
Throughout the years, experimenting with different methodologies and strategies, I’ve discovered that supporting ELLs in their native language actually moves them along quicker and further in the long run, gives them confidence along the way, lowers their frustration, and maintains and strengthens their L1 and L2 literacy.
I’m a firm believer that ENL doesn’t need to be pure English immersion. In fact, according to the New York City Office of English Language Learners, ENL programs actually require native language support. The video that we show to parents of new ELLs at the orientation explains that ENL “[provides] instruction in English with support in students’ home language.” Although instruction is presented in English, only key concepts are often clarified in the student’s main language (Echevarria et al, 2013).
Certain newcomers cannot yet communicate or read in English, so providing an ENL scaffold may not be enough to make content comprehensible at the present time.
I believe teachers should use every tool at their disposal, and that may include the use of native language supports. Oftentimes, teachers in the upper grades may give newcomers a translated version of the same passage the other students are reading in order to a) teach a new reading strategy, b) give newcomers the opportunity to work on and develop their reading comprehension, and c) give the newcomers confidence. It has been argued that literacy can be developed in a student’s L1, and those reading skills can then be transferred to their L2 (August & Shanahan, 2006). These students are provided with independent reading books on their English reading level, as well as books in their L1 to foster bilingual literacy. Teachers should use other supports as well, such as visuals, body language, choral repetition, etc.
Students who cannot write in English yet (often newcomers) should still be writing when the others are. If they can write in their L1, you may want to translate the prompt and tell them to write in their native language and try to integrate as many English words as they can. Pair them up with a bilingual student who can help them add English words to their writing. If the student can speak some English, ask them to interpret their writing as well as they can and tell you what it says in English. Add certain English words to their writing that they were able to tell you in English. Or, ask another bilingual student to interpret what it says. Then, tell the newcomer a couple of key vocabulary words that they could have used in their writing. This way, they can learn the skill or strategy being taught, they can be included in the class assignment, and they can increase their English vocabulary.
The students will be allowed to use bilingual dictionaries (word-to-word) on the ELA exam, and will receive translated or interpreted versions of the Math and Science exams, so some bilingual support in content areas may be useful.
Although we may use native language support, we should also limit the amount of native language support, and not let it get in the way of whole class instruction. Work should be differentiated, and at times, this may include some translation or interpretation.
Here is an excellent article about 6 things you should NEVER say to your ELLs:
https://www.middleweb.com/36252/6-things-we-should-never-say-to-our-ells/
Throughout the years, experimenting with different methodologies and strategies, I’ve discovered that supporting ELLs in their native language actually moves them along quicker and further in the long run, gives them confidence along the way, lowers their frustration, and maintains and strengthens their L1 and L2 literacy.
I’m a firm believer that ENL doesn’t need to be pure English immersion. In fact, according to the New York City Office of English Language Learners, ENL programs actually require native language support. The video that we show to parents of new ELLs at the orientation explains that ENL “[provides] instruction in English with support in students’ home language.” Although instruction is presented in English, only key concepts are often clarified in the student’s main language (Echevarria et al, 2013).
Certain newcomers cannot yet communicate or read in English, so providing an ENL scaffold may not be enough to make content comprehensible at the present time.
I believe teachers should use every tool at their disposal, and that may include the use of native language supports. Oftentimes, teachers in the upper grades may give newcomers a translated version of the same passage the other students are reading in order to a) teach a new reading strategy, b) give newcomers the opportunity to work on and develop their reading comprehension, and c) give the newcomers confidence. It has been argued that literacy can be developed in a student’s L1, and those reading skills can then be transferred to their L2 (August & Shanahan, 2006). These students are provided with independent reading books on their English reading level, as well as books in their L1 to foster bilingual literacy. Teachers should use other supports as well, such as visuals, body language, choral repetition, etc.
Students who cannot write in English yet (often newcomers) should still be writing when the others are. If they can write in their L1, you may want to translate the prompt and tell them to write in their native language and try to integrate as many English words as they can. Pair them up with a bilingual student who can help them add English words to their writing. If the student can speak some English, ask them to interpret their writing as well as they can and tell you what it says in English. Add certain English words to their writing that they were able to tell you in English. Or, ask another bilingual student to interpret what it says. Then, tell the newcomer a couple of key vocabulary words that they could have used in their writing. This way, they can learn the skill or strategy being taught, they can be included in the class assignment, and they can increase their English vocabulary.
The students will be allowed to use bilingual dictionaries (word-to-word) on the ELA exam, and will receive translated or interpreted versions of the Math and Science exams, so some bilingual support in content areas may be useful.
Although we may use native language support, we should also limit the amount of native language support, and not let it get in the way of whole class instruction. Work should be differentiated, and at times, this may include some translation or interpretation.
Here is an excellent article about 6 things you should NEVER say to your ELLs:
https://www.middleweb.com/36252/6-things-we-should-never-say-to-our-ells/