How can you teach English as a second language using innovative strategies?

Multimedia a form of "bedrock" in leaning. In studies it has been proven that multiple layers of exposure increase learning and retention. People learn in different ways, some are more visual, some are more auditory. Some need to touch and handle a book or tablet. When you read and touch the book or the screen. When you read and touch the book or screen and read outloud. When there are accompanying photos or graphs. All of this stimulates the mind in different areas and causes deeper leaning and retention. I thought of this today. I want to use a board game like Monopoly. I would add the English and Spanish names of all the items on flashcards and, students would also lean about money and how to count it. : )

Triangulating classroom observations, NGRT scores and CAT4 data gives an insight on how the ELL learn the best. A combination of Strategies using AI , VR, AR along with visual vocabulary cards can evolve the learners from struggling towards expected and gradually exceeding levels of English Language. Having an understanding of English words with native language expression can support the learner to retain and recall.

Language is spoken by tongue but, learnt by ears, English as a Second language can be effectively taught by providing " Listening Atmosphere". Multimedia tools are useful. Learner be taught English by utilizing" Multimedia Methodology"

In my experience, language learners require novelty in their resources. Especially in the early years of language acquisition, exposing the students to a wide variety of texts, stories, and multimedia is a more effective way of teaching vocabulary and sentence structure than spending hours, days or weeks in one book or piece of text. Knowing how much paper resources cost and how easily they are lost and damaged, it may be worth investing in an online tool that will offer a wide range of texts at different abilities.

Numerous studies show that students perform better when their home culture and background knowledge are incorporated into the academic environment. When children and their families are represented and respected in the classroom, they are much more likely to be engaged and successful. Allowing students to express themselves in a safe environment and learn from one another is also a wonderful social-emotional learning opportunity that benefits the entire class, especially students of color.

This is my kind of thing. I love doing project-based learning. My niche is Sales Professionals and giving presentations. In one of my sessions, the client needs to persuade me about the product they are selling. This is a hands-on experience and I guide my client through the whole process!

Integrating goals, topics, problems or real-life-related issues to language teaching enriches the process of learning. In this way, learners can inject their own experiences into the learning path.

The autonomy in PBL is a huge plus for ELL students. They have the opportunity to choose the output that helps them develop creativity skills, whilst learning English as they move through the project. Using key terminology in group discussions, planning, and presenting, will help develop their English, as well as their social and emotional skills 🤩 The tech out there makes the output easy, with a larger focus being made on language-learning.

Incorporating project-based learning (PBL) into ESL instruction is a dynamic approach that goes beyond traditional language teaching. It empowers students to develop language skills while also honing essential life skills. For instance, students could work on creating a podcast, where they not only improve their language proficiency but also learn about scriptwriting, voice modulation, and audio editing. Alternatively, they might collaborate on a blog discussing a topic of their choice, fostering research skills and the ability to engage with digital content. Projects like brochures or videos encourage creativity, design thinking, and visual communication.

An example, would be to create a cook book in English or use Google Maps to provide instructions in English. You can also take a popular song in the primary language and translate.

Let's consider a task-based language teaching (TBLT) scenario where students are asked to plan a day trip. In this task, they are required to discuss and decide on various aspects of the trip, such as the destination, mode of transportation, activities, and schedule. This exercise not only builds their language skills in terms of discussing preferences, making suggestions, and negotiating choices, but it also encourages them to work collaboratively and employ time management skills. For instance, students could be divided into groups, and each group is responsible for planning a day trip. They must collectively decide on the destination, research routes and schedules, allocate budgets, and present their plan to the class.

It's an approach that I find particularly encouraging. TBLT emphasizes practical language engagement and provides valuable tools like vocabulary lists and sentence starters to support learners in successfully completing tasks. Scaffolding is pivotal in the TBLT approach!

When teaching English language learners, keep in mind that vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation develop faster when there are opportunities for interaction in the classroom using the language being learned. But many new teachers make the mistake of simply presenting a lesson and then pairing students up to discuss without providing guidance, as was the case for Dr. Schneider. She recommends that teachers explicitly model and practice academic language so that students can more fully engage with one another. This could take the form of question prompts, such as: Can you tell me more about …? Let me see if I understand you … Following up on ___’s idea.

Ever tried Story Roulette in ESL class? It's like a linguistic potluck – each student adds a sentence, and we end up with a story more unpredictable than my morning coffee choices. Not only does it spice up language learning, but it also guarantees a chuckle or two. Language acquisition can be fun!

Flipped classroom is an excellent method to actually get your students involved and see them apply what they learn. My students are always eager to come to class.

We all know that we learn best when we feel involved in our learning. Flipped classes are a perfect example of this. I learn best this way myself (I am learning Italian) but I also see better outcomes when I design my business English classes this way.

Incorporating a flipped classroom model into ESL instruction can be exemplified through vocabulary acquisition. Before the class, students might access an online platform with pre-recorded video lessons or interactive language exercises to learn a set of new words and their usage. During the actual class, the focus shifts from rote memorization to practical application. Instructors can organize group discussions, role-play scenarios, or vocabulary-based projects that encourage students to use the newly acquired words in real contexts. This approach not only saves classroom time but also ensures that students engage with the language actively, reinforcing their understanding and retention of vocabulary.

Flipped Classroom is a strategic method to maximize students participation and engagement. I like to share content for upcoming classes through Google Classroom. This way learners come to class prepared. Gen Z appreciate learning through technology. They are fascinated by it. So I double down on that meaningfully.

I love flipped classroom. Ever since since I started flipping my classes, I have gotten the time to offer differentiated instruction. Flipped classroom is a meta-instructional strategy. You can use the freed-up class time to employ varied teaching methods.

Understanding CAT4 scores transformed my understanding of differentiation. It helped me understand how my students learn, and then used edtech to help them reach their objective. With the use of AI, we can be creative in helping our ELL students collaborate effectively, learn at their own pace, and impact their learning experiences.

Teachers should also provide ample opportunities for more structured classroom interactions with a clear purpose and goal. There are hundreds of activities to consider, but here are a few ideas to get you started: Think-pair-share Carousel or gallery walk Book clubs Student interviews Pick a Side: What do you think/believe about…? Why? How would you convince someone to…?

Differentiated instruction in ESL can be exemplified through the teaching of vocabulary. In a diverse classroom, students may have varying levels of English proficiency. To accommodate these differences, an ESL instructor might provide different sets of vocabulary words with varying levels of complexity. Students can then choose a set that aligns with their current skill level. Advanced learners could work with more challenging words, while those at the beginner level could select a set of simpler terms. Additionally, for students who learn best through visual aids, the instructor might incorporate flashcards or images for each word. For auditory learners, pronunciation exercises or word association games can be added.

Students have different process to understand/accept the languages that they are learning. Specially for young students, I try to analyze from how they do on the test to see what kind of sense they have for English (can apply for usage, good at memorizing, etc). I also try to be observant how they react in the class. I try to give different exercise. Such as.. 1. repetition exercise (memorizing by hands, idiom check, grammar exercise) 2. translation exercise 3. comprehension exercise through reading 4. writing exercise It can be done easily in one on one class but when in group class, I would give out extra exercise for each student or give different comment/hint to meet their needs.

I agree with Majid. In addition, the flipped classroom allows our slow learners and SEN learners to go over the material covered in class at their own pace online and come back into the physical classroom at par with others. In this way, we promote inclusive education and come closer to achieving the global 2030 goals.

One thing I've found helpful is to listen more than talk when integrating culture. Let them express themselves. You can give items to sort and describe using their previous knowledge or incorporate show and tell about objects that hold value.

Culture is everything! No language can be truly understood without it. Make it personal by bringing in cultural informants. They can explain how their culture works (and even niche it - perhaps a cooking class in the target language and culture) directly. Find opportunities for true interactive exploration of culture: a dance or theatre performance, sporting events, organizations that work in the target language. People learn so much by doing, rather than reading or viewing.

In my teaching experience, I've found out that culture is very important in how people express themselves. For example, a certain phenomenon may be normal and acceptable in one culture but taboo in another. As teachers, we have the major task of understanding the different cultural backgrounds of our learners and responding to them accordingly. We must also learn to assist them to accept and adapt to other people's cultures because the world is becoming a 'global village' comprised of 'villagers' from different cultural backgrounds.

Culture goes a long way to learn a language. It makes learning interesting, fun and informative. Culture will provide a wide range of topics to cover and this integration will help to develop the language.

Always bear in mind that English is a global language, and many people of different cultures speak it - don't just focus on e.g. American culture. Be sure to represent minority cultures and diversity too - not everyone who speaks English is white...

Give functional language to solve problems. My company, AIR Language, writes books with language by which students will solve problems in given contexts. This is precisely what students need. All too often, EL teachers rush to abstract concepts, but what their students actually need is the concrete language to understand those abstract concepts.

Effective ELL strategies teachers should consider 1)Focus on academic language, literacy and vocabulary. 2)Link background knowledge and culture to learning. 3)Increase comprehensible input and language output. 4)Promote classroom interaction. 5)Stimulate higher-order thinking skills and use of learning strategies.

I've been a teacher of English as a second language and French as a foreign language in a former English colony. What one needs to understand is the influence of the native language on the target language as this affects pronunciation primarily and the sentence structure. When using innovative teaching methods and multimedia, understand the level of the learners being taught so that media is relevant and at the level of the students. Videos should not replace the lesson but enhance learning. Let's assume one is teaching descriptive writing, a video showing sentence construction, and use of adjectives would be ideal and useful.

In my experience, all these innovative strategies need to be underpinned by a clear learning plan and solid curriculum structure. It is very easy to get carried away trying out new teaching approaches and games, but be sure to also align your classes with the curriculum standards and ensure your students are making clear progress against set learning objectives. If your teaching context does not have a national or state curriculum to follow, you can use a textbook (Oxford, Cambridge, Pearson, NatGeo, etc all have well reputed textbooks) or online curriculum such as the Abridge Academy curriculum.

Teaching English as a second language demands innovative strategies to engage and motivate students. With my extensive teaching experience, I incorporate interactive digital tools, like language learning apps and online platforms, to create a dynamic learning environment. I also use real-life scenarios and multimedia resources, such as videos and podcasts, to enhance language skills in a context that's relevant and interesting to students. Tailoring lessons to individual learning styles and encouraging peer interaction through group activities fosters a more inclusive and effective learning experience. This approach not only makes learning enjoyable but also accelerates language acquisition.