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Preparing for English Language Learners looks at how they are welcomed into their new communities, schools and classrooms as a whole. It delves into the vast adjustments they make when joining Ontario school systems and how teachers can prepare to effectively welcome them. Here I start to create a vision for a welcoming classroom.
Preparing for English Language Learners looks at how they are welcomed into their new communities, schools and classrooms as a whole. It delves into the vast adjustments they make when joining Ontario school systems and how teachers can prepare to effectively welcome them. Here I start to create a vision for a welcoming classroom.
Vision and Goals Presentation | |
File Size: | 2451 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Artifact 1: Vision and Goals presentation
The artifact I have included here surmises how to prepare for ELL students in the classroom. I have outlined my vision and goals, and how to achieve these goals in this powerpoint presentation. I have selected this artifact because I think it is a versatile resource for any teacher to use. I have included goals, resources for the classroom, expectations for my students and colleagues, as well as instructional strategies. It gives Ontario mandated guidelines, and suggestions from educators, as well as personal ideas. It can be used along side the checklist below, on how to properly welcome ELL students and families into a school environment. It is important to create a vision and a few goals when welcoming ELL students into the classroom so that there is a clear plan in place to make them feel safe, included and in affirming their identities.
checklist below
checklist below
Checklist for creating a warm and welcoming environment | |
File Size: | 151 kb |
File Type: | png |
Artifact 2: ESL Stories
https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/eslinfusion/Home/ESL_Infusion_Community/ESL_stories/index.html
https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/eslinfusion/Home/ESL_Infusion_Community/ESL_stories/index.html#ESL_Students__Canadian_Experiences
These are ESL stories published by educators. They are voices of ELL students on different experiences in the Canadian classroom. They discuss times that they were bullied, excluded, labelled, but also included, welcomed and when they felt affirmed in their identity. I am including these stories, because they are important for us as educators to reflect on the experiences that students have in our school system. Sometimes we think that things that are normalized in Canadian school culture are normalized for all learners. We can always use these opportunities as a learning experience, for ourselves and our students. This course and my experiences have showed me how difficult it is for students to come to a new school, let alone a new country, and they need caring adults to help welcome them into the community. I think that this is important to read in terms of working with ELL students because it gives us insight to their lives, feelings and experiences. It gives us ideas about what works for some of these students and what does not. It can also give us practical strategies to use in the classroom. For instance, perhaps teachers could create heterogeneous groups and homogeneous groups within the classroom; giving students multiple opportunities to meet others. We also could encourage students to get involved in the school, especially if the language barrier is not the main issue in including our students. From these stories I looked into Settlement.org’s secondary school guide, which some great information for families, and can be downloaded in multiple languages.
“The Newcomer's Guide to Secondary School in Ontario.” Settlement.Org | Information Newcomers Can Trust, Centre Ontarien De Prévention Des Agressions with Funding from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)., Apr. 2016, settlement.org/ontario/education/elementary-and-secondary-school/newcomers-guides-to-education/the-newcomer-s-guide-to-secondary-school-in-ontario/.
BALANCEDLITERACYDIET :: Index :: Balanced Literacy Diet, June 2012, www.oise.utoronto.ca/eslinfusion/Home/ESL_Infusion_Community/ESL_stories/.html.