Visual Directions for ESL Students: A Simple Back-to-School Strategy Many years ago, when I first started teaching, I remember one particular year very clearly. I had 18 students in my K–2 ESL pull-out group, and they were all newcomers—literally fr…

Name Crafts for Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Fun & Meaningful Back-to-School Activities The first weeks of school can feel like a lot. You want students to learn names, practice early literacy skills, get to know one another, and build classro…

Emergency drills are an important part of every school year. Fire drills, lockdown drills, earthquake drills, and tornado drills help keep students safe. But for English Language Learners (ELLs), these drills can be confusing, overwhelming, and even…

As ESL teachers, we spend so much time helping students find the right words . But sometimes, our students don't have the words for what they're feeling. A student who suddenly refuses to participate. A child who shuts down during writing.…

What I Do at the End of the School Year to Make August Less Stressful If you're anything like me, the beginning of the school year can feel overwhelming. There are schedules to learn, students to meet, assessments to give, and a classroom to set…