October in the ESL classroom is always full of energy, but keeping that seasonal excitement tied to real learning can be tricky. When students are buzzing about costumes and candy, traditional worksheets rarely hold their focus. Here are four p…

How to Use Halloween/ Fall ESL Activities to Build WIDA Language Skills All Month Long October is one of those months when multilingual learners have so many things to talk about. Pumpkins, costumes, spooky houses, animals, characters, feelings, Ha…

Our World, Our Classroom: A 7 Continents 3D Globe Craft for ESL Students As ESL teachers, we are often asked to do more than teach English.  We support students during math, science, social studies, and other content-area lessons. We help students u…

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…