Welcome to The ESL Teaching Podcast, a place for K-12 teachers of English learners who are looking for simple and easy-to-implement ways to engage their students and for inspiration and empowerment in their day-to-day teaching. Whether you need a boost of confidence in reaching ESL/ELL newcomers, students in mixed proficiency level classes, or clarity in how to help them access content in the mainstream classrooms, this podcast will quickly become your go-to spot for inspiration and support. ...
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Episode 131 - How Neuroscience Can Transform Your ELL Teaching with Guest Meeghan Carter
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In order to learn something, we need tools that address the way we learn as people as well as help us develop ways of thinking. In recent years, terms like neuroscience and neuroplasticity have become very popular in all fields, including education. What do these terms mean exactly? Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system, includ…
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Episode 130 - Beyond Buddies: How Peer Pairing Empowers ELs
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Over the past several weeks, I have been sharing with you three simple accommodations every classroom teacher can make to reach ELs, even newcomers. We talked about why using visuals is essential when working with ELs, as well as what types of visuals to include. We dove into simplifying our language for directions, lesson delivery, and feedback, a…
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Episode 129 - Why Simplifying Your Language for ELs Leads to Effective Higher Order Thinking
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I am bringing you a series of episodes … 3 simple accommodations every classroom teacher can make to reach ELs, even newcomers. They are very targeted and easily digestible so that the tips you hear today and in the previous and coming episodes, you can implement right in your next lesson. We have identified 3 very simple, yet extremely effective a…
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Episode 128 - Seeing is Understanding: 5 Visual Strategies for Supporting ELs
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How can I help an English learner in a regular education classroom? This question is right there at the top of all questions asked by teachers along with what to teach EL newcomers. We all know that teaching is complicated and consists of a lot of moving parts that are sometimes hard to juggle. And since my mission is to bring you EL teaching tips …
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Episode 127 - When to Use Professional Interpreters vs. Bilingual Staff for Communicating with EL Families
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Let's talk about translation in the world of multilingual teaching. It is a bigger topic and covers both the translation of materials in the classroom and translation of school communication with EL families. Today, I wanted to focus on the other side of translation, namely best practices for communicating with EL families of our students who do no…
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Episode 126 - The Top 5 Questions We Get about Teaching ELs - And Here Are the Answers!
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I work closely with content area teachers, and I frequently receive questions from them about how they can help English learners in their classroom. The questions about teaching ELs, frankly, are the same every year. How to help a newcomer? How to assess EL students in the classroom? What activities work well with ELs, especially those at lower pro…
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Episode 125 - 3 Meaningful Ways to Teach Grammar to EL Teens and Adults
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Teaching grammar can be a topic that raises many questions for teachers of English learners, but it doesn't have to be. And as we discussed last week about how to teach grammar to younger English learners, we talked about strategies that work with that age group and answered questions about why we need to teach grammar in general. Today, I wanted t…
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Episode 124 - How to Teach Grammar to Younger English Learners
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Whether you teach young English learners or teenagers and even adults, teaching in language involves teaching the grammar of that language. At the same time, it raises many questions for us. What is grammar exactly? Do we need to teach grammar explicitly when working with English learners in English speaking settings? Or do we let the students abso…
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Episode 123 - Kicking Off the School Year: The First Five Days in the ESL Classroom
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Today we're diving into a crucial topic for every ESL teacher as we approach a new school year—how to set the stage for success during the first five days in the ESL classroom. In this episode, we'll explore essential strategies for building trust, setting expectations, understanding student backgrounds, establishing routines, introducing content, …
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Episode 122 - Why Your EL Program Needs a Mission Statement and How to Create One
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Recently, I talked about the roles of the EL teacher, what our jobs entail, and how we can explain, in short, about what we do to our colleagues and administrators. Today, I wanted to go a step further and talk about a mission statement. This short, clear statement packs so much information and might be just the ticket for EL teachers and departmen…
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Episode 121 - 3 Reasons Hiring an EL Educational Consultant is a Must for Your EL Teaching Needs
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With the new school year kicking off, energy is buzzing through the hallways as teachers set up their classrooms and dive into mandatory trainings. Today, we’re addressing a fundamental question: Why should schools consider hiring outside educational consultants for English Learner (EL) professional development, especially when they already have in…
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Episode 120 - The Four Roles of an ESL Teacher: What Do They Actually Do?
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With the number of English learners constantly rising and permeating not only large urban areas but also spreading into suburbs and rural towns, there's a serious need for all involved in the education of those English learners to understand the role of an ESL, ELL teacher in their district. This podcast episode was inspired by observations of both…
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Episode 119 - 5 Tips for Newer EL Teachers
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Today we're diving into five practical tips for newer EL teachers. Whether you're transitioning into EL teaching, getting your certification, or supporting multilingual students in your regular classroom, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you succeed. Show Notes: Episode 119 - 5 Tips for Newer EL Teachers Simply Ieva Offers: Acc…
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Episode 118 - How to Handle New Arrivals and Group Challenges Year-Round
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Every day, I receive several emails that share your current biggest struggles as a teacher who works with EL students, whether you're exclusively with multilingual students or you have ELs in your regular education classroom. I read every single email, and although I don't always have the time to respond to you personally, I take all things you tel…
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Episode 117 - Clocking In: Cultural Perspectives on Time and Social Interactions
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As EL teachers, we need to possess a variety of skills, and not all of them are clear cut. Besides the obvious ones, such as being knowledgeable in teaching methodologies, standards, and educational psychology, as a teacher of multilingual learners, one must also possess acute cultural awareness. And that goes not only for EL teachers, but for all …
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Episode 116 - Do These 5 Things BEFORE Summer Break to Feel More Organized and Refreshed
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As the summer break is nearing, it seems that time flies faster and faster. Between all of the award ceremonies, field days, final exams, and graduations, there's no space to even breathe. In this season, the desire to put off paperwork and lesson planning for next year is sometimes irresistibly strong, and I'm saying this because I've been there. …
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Episode 115 - Personalized Learning for EL Students: The Power of Choice Boards
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With the school year almost at the end for many of us, or even finished for some, I wanted to revisit one of the episodes I recorded a while back because I know that it will really come in handy. Either now or at the start of the new school year. Honestly, anytime. What I'm talking about is how to use choice boards in your El classroom. What they a…
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Episode 114 - The What and Why of a Scope and Sequence for EL Newcomers
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When I ask teachers: if you could have a magic wand, what would you wish for you in your teaching situation, I get so many requests for a scope and sequence for newcomers and for a newcomer curriculum. So in today’s episode, I wanted to go back to the basics and talk a little bit about the scope and sequence for English language learners. I will be…
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Episode 113 - How to Use AI to Help Your Students Access Content Plus My Favorite Tools
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Technology has increasingly become an integral part of teaching, and honestly, I cannot imagine teaching a lesson without it. Of course, I would if I needed to and I would have to adapt, but it just makes things so much faster and easier. From pulling up an image to complement the topic, to checking the correct MLA format, to grabbing precise defin…
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Episode 112 - 5 Non-Negotiables for Integrating ELs in Regular Education Classroom
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When it comes to teaching English learners, some things come naturally for EL teachers, while regular education teachers might be wondering how they can reach their multilingual students. I have several episodes about teaching all ELs, but I wanted to distill this information into even more practical and really actionable advice that all teachers c…
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Episode 111 - 5 End of the Year Hacks to Finish the School Year With Sanity
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I don't know about you, but every year around April, I feel like my energy is drained. I can no longer focus, and the feeling of inadequacy begins to creep in. The students have absorbed as much as they could. We all are just counting the days until that summer break when we all can recharge and look at things from a different perspective. But we h…
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Episode 110 - The Two Most Important Soft Skills for Teachers of English Learners
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In education, hard skills such as the academic knowledge of the subject and the know-how of teaching in general, the strategies, the methodology, the assessment are the focal point. But today, I wanted to talk about the soft skills that are much more difficult to define and quantify because they are less concrete, but have been proven time and time…
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Episode 109 - Rewriting the Script of Negative Self-Talk for Teachers
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Welcome back to another episode of The ESL Teaching Podcast. Today we're tackling an issue that's close to the heart for so many of us educators: the challenge of negative self-talk. As teachers, we navigate not only academic pressures but also the emotional and mental weight of our personal lives. Recognizing our humanity is crucial to maintaining…
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Episode 108 - No Plan? No Problem! 5 Activities for those "I can't even" days
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Welcome to Episode 108 of The ESL Teaching Podcast! In this episode, I share my go-to activities for those "I can't even" days, when exhaustion and lack of inspiration make lesson planning a struggle. I candidly discuss my own experiences with feeling tired and bored while teaching, and offer practical, low-prep activities to reignite the classroom…
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Episode 107 - The Heart and Art of Teaching ELs in Regular Education Classrooms with Zach Camenker
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My guest Zach Camenker, and I explore the challenges and joys of teaching English learners in a regular classroom. Zach, an English Language Arts teacher, shares his struggle with the repetition of the curriculum and his passion for reading instruction. The importance of adaptability, feedback, and collaboration in setting up a successful classroom…
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Episode 106 - 6 Most Common SEL Challenges ELs Face in the Classroom
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We talk a lot about instruction of English learners, how we can accommodate our lessons, how we can scaffold, and what to teach them in general. But today, I wanted to bring to light another aspect of working with English learners that is just as important for all teachers to know as the instructional strategies. It is the social emotional aspect t…
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Episode 105 - 3 Misconceptions About Teaching Newcomers in Regular Classrooms (and how to reframe them)
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Welcome to episode 105 of The ESL Teaching Podcast. In this episode, I address three common misconceptions about teaching English learners in regular classrooms and provide practical strategies to reframe them. I discuss the importance of understanding the language acquisition process, the role of subject area teachers in language instruction, and …
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Episode 104 - Landing the Gig: 3 Secrets to a Successful Teacher Interview
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Welcome to Episode 104 of The ESL Teaching Podcast! In this episode, I share valuable insights into how you can prepare for your ESL teacher interview. I delve into three essential tips to help you nail your interview: being prepared, being yourself, and asking questions. Through personal anecdotes and practical advice, I hope to provide guidance o…
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Episode 103 - Questions Answered - Developing Supportive Mindset for EL Success
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Guess what? It's Q & A time. I receive many emails from teachers sharing their current biggest struggles, both EL teachers and classroom educators. I read every single email, and although I don't always have the time to respond to you personally, I want you to know that I see you and I hear you. And with that, I also know that if one person is aski…
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Episode 102 - 3 Essential Keys to Assessing English Learners
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Testing season is upon us, and with it, changed schedules, test practice, and new questions about how we can help our students, especially ELs, navigate this time of quite a bit of stress. Any test, whether it's a check-in quiz, a unit test, or a serious state assessment, can be a challenge to an English learner, especially one that is at a newcome…
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Episode 101 - Math is NOT a Universal Language and Here is Why with Odalis Amparo
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How many times have you heard this phrase, math is math, it is a universal language. Well, let me tell you, it is not. And that is exactly what today's guest, Odalis Amparo from Illustrative Mathematics, and I talk about. Odalis is a skilled educator who is highly committed to elevating the voice and supporting the achievement of students and teach…
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Episode 100 - It's Our 100th Episode! Comments From Listeners and Hot Seat with Simply Ieva
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You're listening to the 100th episode of the ESL Teaching Podcast. Can you believe the ESL teaching podcast has been around for 100 episodes? Me neither. This occasion certainly calls for celebration, and I wanted to make it a little different than usual. Instead of interviewing another wonderful educator or giving you teaching tips, today, you wil…
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Episode 99 - Why Less is More When Teaching EL Newcomers and Beginners
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This is episode 3 of the 3-part series called, “You Can't Buy Language at Walmart: 3 Essential but Overlooked Details of Teaching Language to EL Newcomers and Beyond.” In the previous episodes, I talked about the time it takes to acquire a language and about proficiency levels and why they are essential for teachers to know when working with Englis…
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Episode 98 - EL Newcomer to Experienced Multilingual: A Journey Through Proficiency Levels
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Today's episode is episode 2 of the 3 part series, which I called, “You Can't Buy Language at Walmart: 3 Essential but Overlooked Details of Teaching Language to Young Newcomers and Beyond”. In the previous episode, I talked about the stages of language acquisition and the most important aspect of learning any language, which is time. If you haven'…
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Episode 97 - How Teachers Can Harness the Power of Second Language Acquisition Stages when working with ELs
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Welcome to another episode of The ESL Teaching Podcast! In today's episode, I dive into the fascinating world of second language acquisition stages and how they impact teaching English learners. With a focus on the five stages of second language acquisition, I want to shed light on the importance of understanding this process for educators. From th…
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Episode 96 - Lessons Learned, Impact Made and the Wisdom to Bring Into the New Year
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In today's episode, I reflected on the wisdom gained and impact made in the past year, sharing valuable lessons for teachers of English learners. From the power of "less is more" in lesson planning to the importance of connecting with student families in a genuine way, I provide insights that can transform your teaching approach. Additionally, I em…
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Episode 95 - Empowering Adult English Learners with Leah Mitchell
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Being an educational consultant is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have. Through my website and podcast, I hear from so many teachers from all around the world who teach a variety of ages in a variety of places with a variety of experiences and resources. And what's even more exciting is that I get to work with some of those wonderful…
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Episode 94 - From Vision to Reality: Intentional Goal Setting for the New Year and Beyond (re-air)
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With the new year right around the corner, we tend to reflect on the things we accomplished and what we can do to improve on the quality of our lives, both personal and professional, in the next year. So setting goals is especially popular this time of year. The hopes are high that in the coming year, we for sure will exercise more, or read more bo…
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Episode 93 - Cultivating Comprehension: The Art of Strategic Questioning for English Learners
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In today's episode, I want to delve into the art of cultivating comprehension through strategic questioning for English learners. Every day, I am amazed at how language intense our students' classes are. Instructions are given in lengthy paragraphs and posted in Google Classroom or any other form your school uses. Students are required to show thei…
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Episode 92 - Embracing Diverse December Celebrations in ESL Classrooms
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December is right around the corner, and we all know that everything seems to gain speed once Thanksgiving is over. With a few weeks left before the holiday break in December, we also want to make sure our lessons are meaningful and not just busy work. Have you ever wondered what December holidays are celebrated around the world? This question has …
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Episode 91 - EL Curriculum Magic and Mastering Classroom Dynamics (Q and A)
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As I was planning this episode out, I looked at all the things we talk about on this podcast. That is a lot! From EL newcomer teaching and all that is related to that, how to teach grammar and vocabulary, where to find materials, different teaching strategies and tips, teacher collaboration, ELs in regular education classrooms, and so many more top…
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Episode 90 - Teaching Thanksgiving with Accuracy and Empathy
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A couple of years ago, I had a conversation with a student who had just arrived from Turkey that inspired a monthly newsletter to our staff about celebrations around the world for that month. In November, as we were going over the days that we will be in school and why we have a break at the end of the month, we talked about the celebration of Than…
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Episode 89 - The Three Cs of EL Family Engagement
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Welcome to episode 89 of The ESL Teaching Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the three Cs of EL family engagement: connection, community, and continued support. I want to share my personal experience of creating a space for parents of EL students to come together and have coffee and conversation. Through this informal setting, my partner and I …
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Episode 88 - How to Use Novel Study to Enrich Vocabulary and Speaking
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Reading is always a hot topic, and teaching reading to English learners presents its own set of challenges. It has to do with grade level, with English proficiency, and other factors. So today, I wanted to share with you how I have been implementing novel study this school year with my middle schoolers in particular, and that has allowed my student…
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Episode 87 - What Does it Take to Acquire a Language and Why All Teachers Should Know This
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What does it take to acquire another language? In my previous episode, I used a phrase that I have heard many times, “Oh, but there's another language spoken in the home.” The statement can mean so many things and nothing at all. I want to break down what it takes to acquire another language in today's episode. If we are to embrace the notion that …
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Episode 86 - Here Are Your 3 Essential Truths to Reaching ELs in General Education Classroom
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Last week, I was talking to my colleague who was so overwhelmed by all the questions and comments coming from the regular education teachers and frankly, the unwillingness of some to pause and take the situation in for what it was. We chatted a bit and calmed down, but a part of me was still dissatisfied. Sometimes, EL teachers are spread so thin o…
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Episode 85 - EL Class Structure and Vocabulary Instruction: A Peek Into My Classroom
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A while back, I recorded an episode about how I structured my middle school class, and since I work at 2 schools, middle and high school, I wanted to offer you a little glimpse into how I structure my high school classes. I have more students at the high school this year and more classes, so there's plenty of room for creativity. Lesson planning an…
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Episode 84 - Every Teacher is a Language Teacher. Here is Why!
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Teaching multilingual learners requires great knowledge of language acquisition theory, teaching strategies, and methodologies. At the same time, it requires empathy, cultural awareness and openness. And that said, multilingual learners are not only students of EL teachers. They are all of our students. Every teacher is a language teacher. Sometime…
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Episode 83 - 5 Ways AI Can Help Save Teachers Time and Help Multilingual Learners
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Artificial intelligence, or AI as we call it, has taken over so many areas of our life, and teaching is no exception. I have been waiting to share my insights into what using artificial intelligence might mean for all teachers and especially those of us who work with multilingual learners, but now I think it is time. In this episode, I will share 5…
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Episode 82 - How to Master Small Group Scheduling and Instruction with guest Kristen Vibas
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Many teachers work with small groups of students and especially if you're in an elementary setting, making a schedule for those small groups can be one of the most challenging tasks of your entire school year. For today's episode, I have invited back my dear friend, Kristen Vibas, to chat about just that, the peculiarities of scheduling and groupin…
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