Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  ESL

    Posted 06-15-2018 04:46 PM
    I'm looking for resources on practical ways to introduce English into the home at a young age.

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    Patricia Jack
    Boulder City NV
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  • 2.  RE: ESL

    Posted 06-16-2018 01:16 PM
    Very young English as a Second Language learners need lots of nursery rhymes, finger plays, songs with movements, TPR (Total Physical Response) like "Simon Says", and repetition, repetition, repetition.  Simple read alouds like "Pat the Bunny" and "Good Night Moon" are excellent for vocabulary building, and so are picture books of concepts like colors, shapes, numbers, etc.  I hope this helps!

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    Pam Ebersole
    Early Childhood Educator
    Palm Bay, Florida
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  • 3.  RE: ESL

    Posted 06-17-2018 12:02 AM
    Thank you! I was asking for someone else.  Sounds just like a program I would advocate, rich in language arts!

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    Patricia Jack
    Boulder City NV
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  • 4.  RE: ESL

    Posted 06-17-2018 09:49 AM
    All of those techniques you mentioned are spot on! I can add two more that I use in my K classroom. At the whole group instruction area, I have a desktop computer. Whenever I suspect a lack of understanding or misconception, I can easily turn to Google Images and YouTube for a deeper explanation. It helped me immensely for such abstract thinking as our Social Studies unit Long Ago and Today.
    Additionally, acting out interactive read-alouds is a great technique for building comprehension and vocabulary. I suppose this is a sub-category of TPR. It engages even my lowest ELLs, who are typically lost during a regular reading.

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    Angela Walters
    teacher
    Atlantic City Board of Education
    Egg Harbor Cy NJ
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  • 5.  RE: ESL

    Posted 06-17-2018 01:47 PM
    ​These strategies are awesome.  I work with 3-5 yr olds with Special Needs.  These are also used to help students with delays in language, speech, cognitive, fine motor, gross motor.....ALL AREAS!!!  I also have many students which primary family language is not English.

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    Deborah Montgomery
    EI On-going Case Manager
    MCIU
    Collegeville PA
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  • 6.  RE: ESL

    Posted 06-17-2018 07:34 PM

    Dear Patricia,

    I am happy to read your question and the beautiful responses in this thread. Our nonprofit, Teaching At The Beginning, Inc., has generated 20 short videos regarding the young dual language learner and has had the pleasure and the benefit of Karen N. Nemeth's work. It is wonderful to see her post here.

    Should the parents wish to support the first language, quite beneficial, our nonprofit offers many easy and robust activities for home and for school on its YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/teachatborg

    As well, our channel showcases teachers, supporting young children in the acquisition of English through small-group, large-group and one-on-one settings, which all foster comprehension and the teacher-child dynamic.     

    Just under each video, engaging questions provide an opportunity to reflect on this research in action.    

    Should you have questions about these free, richly-endorsed DLL videos, please feel free to let us know!

     Regards!



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    Sally Durbin
    Co-Founder
    Teaching At The Beginning, Inc.
    Sherman Oaks, CA
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  • 7.  RE: ESL

    Posted 06-17-2018 01:53 AM
    Hi, Patricia
     There is a great deal of research about this topic now. Most researchers recommend that we encourage families to focus on using rich, engaging home language as they talk, sing, read, write, and play with their young children because that is what is most effective in building their child's foundation of background knowledge, language and pre-literacy. If families wish to add some English to their routine, they should focus on language rich interactions such as reading  bilingual books (first all in the home language, and then all in English), or watching English TV shows and talking about them together with the child. It is also a good idea to learn English words that the child will actually have a use for so they can practice. A young child doesn't have much use for the days of the week, but he could surely benefit from learning how to ask for the bathroom, or how to invite other children to play with him at the playground. 

    Here are some great resources for families:
    Head Start The Importance of Home Language Series (for families - in 6 languages)
    Raising a Bilingual Child - book
    Bilingual Avenue website for families raising bilingual children
    www.readyrosie.com
    My Room/mi habitación ebook with audio for Spanish speakers learning English


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    Karen Nemeth
    Language Castle LLC
    Newtown PA
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