In this section, we will revisit some of the big ideas we’ve been learning about from Dr. Argüelles. We heard her say that our language and instruction are crucial when working with English language learners.
We need to be sure to use complete sentences, complete thoughts and precise language as well as rich language when talking with children. We may be the only model of the English language that some children have. We need to expose children to high-quality words (Tier 2) and provide instruction to ensure that a child integrates quality words in his/her language.
We need to be purposeful with our planning and be aware of the examples we use when introducing new concepts. During instruction, remember to keep the language demand low so as not to confuse the language of instruction with the skill that you want the child to learn.
We do not need to wait for an English language learner to learn English before beginning instruction. If we incorporate a few strategies such as using a sequence of prompts, physical responses, and sentence frames into our instruction, it will provide a framework for learning that benefits all children.
