11 ESL Resources for a Spook-tacular Autumn Language Learning Experience for your ELLs."

Now that all ESL testing is over, and we've got our schedules in place, it's time to dive into teaching our incredible ESL students.

Autumn's enchantment has seamlessly found its way into my classroom, and with Halloween just around the corner, are you ready to infuse the magic of Autumn and Halloween into your ESL classroom while providing comprehensive support for your newcomer students?

Here are my top 11 ESL resources that not only celebrate the season but also scaffold the language learning journey for newcomers. Here's why you should consider incorporating these engaging tools:

1. Building Vocabulary from the Start

ESL School Vocabulary: This resource is the ultimate back-to-school companion, packed with images and words to kickstart vocabulary acquisition. Scaffolded for different levels, it engages students while enhancing language skills.

2. A Comprehensive Back-to-School Unit

Back-to-School ESL Unit: Designed for students of varying proficiency levels, this unit offers activities spanning goal setting, vocabulary expansion, story elements, reading comprehension, and more.

3. Encouraging Creative Expression

ESL Fall Themed Picture Writing Prompts: Fall is magical, and our ELLs will love writing about it through words, pictures, and labels. Just provide them with meaningful images, stems, and prompts! Designed for newcomers, beginners, and intermediates, these prompts stimulate creativity and language skills, catering to all learners.

4. The Power of Poetry for Vocabulary

ESL Fall Themed Vocabulary**: Teaching English through poetry can be a powerful way to teach vocabulary. Read the same fall-themed poem throughout the week. First chorally, build the vocabulary and the language and gradually let your ELLs take over.

5. Dive into Fall-Themed Reading

ESL Fall Themed Reading Comprehension: Reading about pumpkins and field trips is so much fun. Build this background knowledge and vocabulary for your students. Enhance reading skills with scaffolded materials covering both fiction and non-fiction texts related to autumn. Critical thinking and grammar are woven into the learning experience.

6. Embracing Identity and Culture

Favorite Read Aloud Picture Books: As you get to know your newcomers, you learn their names and their stories. And there is always one thing I always tell my ELLS: "Don't lose your identity, your language, and your name because they are yours and they make you who you are." I just love to read these two picture read-alouds with my ELLS. They make so many connections and learn so much through them.

The Name Jar ESL Resource: Another wonderful read-aloud companion, "The Name Jar," engages students through prediction-making, story element identification, vocabulary building, and more.

7. Getting Ready for Halloween

ESL Halloween Themed Vocabulary: Halloween can be a novel idea for many ESL students. That's why I spend some time building background knowledge and vocabulary so that they are ready for this fun and special holiday.

8. Reading About Halloween

Spook-tacular ESL Halloween Reading Booklets: We read simple books about Halloween. Enhance reading with Halloween-themed booklets, differentiated for various proficiency levels. Vibrant imagery and vocabulary word banks make learning enjoyable.

9. Writing About Halloween

Boo-tiful Writing Booklets: And we write about Halloween. These Halloween-themed writing booklets encourage students to express themselves through writing. Scaffolded for different levels, they boost language skills and creativity.

10. Sharing Halloween Favorites

My Fang-tastic Halloween Favorites: And when October 31st comes, we proudly share our Halloween favorites. This resource offers writing prompts and crafts activities. With differentiated levels, it caters to ESL/SPED students while fostering language development and creativity.

11. Adding Humor and Multiculturalism to the Classroom

"I love to incorporate humor and multiculturalism into my bulletin board exhibits. I teach my ELLs all of these spook-tacular adjectives."

Bulletin Board Letters, Words, and Borders: Elevate your classroom decor with this set that includes ready-to-print phrases, individual letters, creative borders, and Halloween vocabulary cards. Perfect for ESL and general education teachers, this resource makes creating a spook-tacular bulletin board a breeze.

Incorporating these resources into your ESL classroom not only adds a touch of seasonal excitement but also provides valuable scaffolding for newcomer students. They cater to diverse proficiency levels, encouraging language development, critical thinking, and creativity. This Halloween season, create a spook-tacular language learning experience that your students will cherish!

Enjoy!

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