543: Webinar-Diverse Strategies for Communication with Dual Language Learners

I participated in a webinar by Jennifer Chen, Associate Professor of Early Childhood-Family Studies at Kean University in New Jersey. She discussed Dual Language Learners/English Language Learners.  These are learners who are learning two languages simultaneously or learning a second language while maintaining their home language.  ELLs lag behind other students academically, especially in reading and math.

Here are some of the strategies that were discussed in the webinar:

• Observer, engage, model, and use contextual clues
• Teacher modeling---this is SO important
• Assessing and incorporating DLLs linguistic and cultural knowledge
• Exposing DLLs to new vocabulary and language structures
• Communicating and teaching academic content through means other than language 
• Word walls and word banks
• Have more proficient peers partner with DLL in decontextualized activities
• Engage DLLs in readings and discussion
• Provide plenty of writing activities
• Model language use

I took a screen shot of some of the important slides that I wanted to include.

There were some great conversations going on, but it was very scattered.  I prefer Twitter much better for the back channeling.