How to Enhance English Language Learning in Elementary Classrooms

Create a supportive environment for children while they learn English.

Learning a new language can be challenging. To enhance English language learning in children who come from non-English speaking backgrounds, the teacher should create a supportive environment. Although it's important to make these children feel included in classroom activities, teachers should realize that some initial hesitation is natural. Most children benefit from the use of visual cues, gestures and opportunities to interact with native English speakers. Pairing them with others who speak their home language and asking leading questions are also tools teachers can use to help these children improve their English skills.

Instructions

1. Make English language learners in your classroom feel comfortable by speaking to them frequently. Have them sit in the front row and look at them often when teaching. Encourage them to participate in classroom activities without forcing verbal participation. If possible, pair such children with someone else who speaks the same home language but is more fluent in English.

2. Modify the way you speak to the students, enunciating carefully without sounding unnatural. Use gestures to emphasize points and appropriate body language and facial expressions to imply certain emotions.

3. Phrase questions so they are easier to comprehend. For example, instead of saying "What is___?" ask "Is it ___or___?" Ask leading questions such as "What happened after that?"

4. Provide students with opportunities to speak English. Assign role playing with a partner to practice simple conversational language. Divide the class into groups and have them perform activities where all members have to play a part such as finding a word or putting a block in place.

5. Create lists of words to use with writing projects. Write a question on the board, giving children English words to use in their writing. For example, "Write a story about 15 things you might find in the forest," or use 25 things you see in a supermarket, or 10 ways to go from one place to another. Give them ways to use their English vocabulary in writing.

6. Build up vocabulary by starting with a single word and having the class brainstorm on associated words. For example, write the word "road" on the board and ask children to come up with things that come to mind when they think of the word, such as: car, signal, shop, restaurant, pavement, or street.

References

• Penn State College of Education: English Language Learners in the Elementary Classroom: A Handbook for Beginning Teachers
• Mrs Hurleys ESL: English Practice
• Sonoma County Office of Education: Improving English Language Development