This guide provides practical information for teachers and others working with students who have learning difficulties (such as learning or language disabilities) and for whom English is a second language. Emphasis is on productive instructional strategies and approaches. The book is based on results of focus groups comprised of practicing teachers as well as a review of the research literature on effective instructional practices with English-language learners. Following an introductory chapter, the underlying concepts of "comprehensible input" and "meaningful access to the general curriculum" are explained in the next two chapters. Chapter 4 addresses problems in trying to provide meaningful access through comprehensible input, whereas chapter 5 considers approaches to increasing meaningful access through comprehensible input. Chapter 6 focuses on the teaching of academic language and chapter 7 offers useful initial teaching strategies. The following chapter considers what teachers can do to provide meaningful access to the general curriculum. Chapter 9 offers specific strategies to build comprehension and other language abilities. The final chapter explains key instructional principles such as teacher "think alouds" and modeling, use of concrete examples to explain concepts, importance of consistent language, the need to balance cognitive and language demands, and the value of peers in language development. (Contains 54 references.) (DB)

This resource offers educators evidence-based best practices to help them address the individual needs of English learners with academic challenges and those who have been referred for special education services. The authors include guidance and specific tools to help districts, schools, and classrooms use Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and other interventions. “Provides excellent guidance for meeting the complex needs of English learners with true learning disabilities. An outstanding resource.” —Alba Ortiz, professor emeritus, The University of Texas at Austin “A wonderful resource for those who have the opportunity to serve English learners in the classroom, including those with academic challenges.” —Martha Thurlow, National Center on Educational Outcomes, University of Minnesota “Readers will find practical guidance and tools grounded in the latest research for teaching English learners.” —Diane Haager, professor, California State University, Los Angeles “A valuable tool that bridges the latest research and practice on bilingual special education.” —Claudia Rinaldi, Lasell College

Practical strategies to support your English language learners The ELL Teacher’s Toolbox is a practical, valuable resource to be used by teachers of English Language Learners, in teacher education credential programs, and by staff development professionals and coaches. It provides hundreds of innovative and research-based instructional strategies you can use to support all levels of English Language Learners. Written by proven authors in the field, the book is divided into two main sections: Reading/Writing and Speaking/Listening. Each of those sections includes “Top Ten” favorites and between 40 and 70 strategies that can be used as part of multiple lessons and across content areas. Contains 60% new strategies Features ready-to-use lesson plans Includes reproducible handouts Offers technology integration ideas The percentage of public school students in the U.S. who are English language learners grows each year—and with this book, you’ll get a ton of fresh, innovative strategies to add to your teaching arsenal.

This guidebook offers powerful, concrete ways to engage all middle and high school students -- especially English learners and students with other special needs -- in successful learning. Teachers will benefit from the practical, evidence-based approaches for teaching standards-based content in any subject area. School and district leaders will benefit from the sustainable schoolwide and districtwide practices that respect diversity and support inclusion. Authors John Carr and Sharen Bertrando provide invaluable insight, tools, and strategies, including: An effective framework for teaching diverse learners in any core discipline Specific steps and resources for helping students organize concepts, develop appropriate use of academic language, and communicate ideas effectively Rubrics identifying key characteristics of five English language proficiency levels, along with teaching strategies appropriate for each Methods for scaffolding assessments to ensure every student has a fair and accurate way to communicate what he or she is learning A lesson plan template for combining and putting into practice all of the ideas, approaches, and tools included in this guidebook

Make the right instructional and eligibility decisions to help your English Learners! Do your students' reading difficulties reflect language acquisition issues or a learning disability? Now in an updated second edition, this essential guide helps educators make informed choices about strategies and services to support English Learners, and includes: Nine common misconceptions that can lead to wrongful placement of students in Special Education A new chapter on evidence-based practices for success in teaching reading to students learning English Appropriate techniques to use when assessing students for special education Expanded coverage of Response to Intervention to include a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS)

This unique guide for special education teachers, teachers of English language learners, and other practitioners provides the foundational information needed to determine whether the language difficulties experienced by English language learners (ELLs) result from the processes and stages of learning a second language or from a learning disability (LD). The book addresses the following critical factors in detail: determining whether an ELL's struggles with reading in English are due to LD or language acquisition; characteristics of language acquisition that can mirror LD; different types of ELLS and why these differences are important; considering a student's "opportunity to learn" when determining whether he or she may have LD; common misconceptions and realities about ELLs and the second language acquisition process; ways that learning to read in English as a second or additional language differ from learning to read English as a first language, and how the differences can be confusing for ELLs; how schools can establish structure to facilitate the process of distinguishing between language acquisition and LD; how families are involved in the process; guidelines for determining which ELLs should be referred for evaluation; and what it means to use an ecological framework to determine whether ELLs have LD.

This hands-on book offers teachers a much-needed resource that will help maximize learning for English Language Learners (ELLs). How to Teach English Language Learners draws on two wide-ranging teacher quality studies and profiles eight educators who have achieved exceptional results with their ELL students. Through highly readable portraits, the authors take readers into these teachers' classrooms, illustrating richly what it is they do differently that yields such great results from English learners. Because most teachers profiled work within a three-tiered Response-to-Intervention framework, the book shows how to implement RTI effectively with ELLs—from providing general reading instruction for the entire classroom to targeted interventions with struggling students. Written by noted ELL educators Diane Haager, Janette K. Klingner, and Terese Aceves, How to Teach English Language Learners is filled with inspiring success stories, teaching tips, activities, discussion questions, and reflections from these outstanding teachers.